Love & War
by Nightglider124
Summary: When Nightwing joined Batman and Superman on a mission to a distant planet called Tameran to help them with the war they face, he never counted on falling in love with Princess Koriand'r. However, Batman forbids Nightwing from going anywhere near her considering her hand is promised to another. Will he forget his feelings or will he act upon them? R&R Please!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Teen Titans.

 **Author's Note:** Whenever I think back to this story, I just think of like Pocahontas or Avatar for some reason. Yeeeah, I didn't know whether to list this one up as AU because... Like technically it's not. But, it's not within normal Titan circumstances like damn, the others aren't in it at all. Like fair warning, I know I dash in with like BBRae in a lot of my stories. But, this is PURELY RobStar. Like it is them and only them. Just sayin'. Originally written in **2014**.

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The dark clouds began to cluster together in the night sky as three heroes were preparing for a trip of sorts. Nightwing tugged on the sleeve of his uniform and threw his duffle bag into the Batplane. He turned and noticed that he was receiving a disapproving glare from his mentor. Batman shook his head and continued preparing things for their trip.

Nightwing grinned and leaned against the Batplane whilst he waited for things to get finished. Superman threw a glance in the young hero's direction and smirked, knowing how much he enjoyed irritating the dark knight.

"So, remind me, what're we doing on this mission?" Nightwing asked, crossing his arms over his chest,

"I told you that you didn't have to come if you didn't want to." Batman mumbled, lifting an oxygen tank into the Batplane,

Nightwing rolled his eyes behind his mask, "That isn't what I meant," He called to the caped crusader, "I'm just not clear on the objective."

"Well, you know of the planet Tamaran, right?" Superman began, pausing and floating a couple of inches off of the ground,

"Yeah..."

"The planet is currently at War with another race called the Citadel and as a main member of the council of the Galaxy, I'm obliged to go and help them as they're our allies. I wanted you and Bruce to accompany me to ensure aid if it is needed."

"So... Are we gonna have to kill these Citadel people?"

Superman exchanged a look with Batman as he passed them, "Not unless you absolutely have to, Dick. I know we have an oath not to kill but things are going to be different there."

Nightwing nodded slowly, "So have you ever met the Tamaranian royal family?" He wondered,

"Actually yes, I've met the king and queen a number of times but I've never met the prince or princess."

"So, King Myand'r sent personally for you?" Nightwing chuckled, "Go Clark."

Superman chuckled, "Get in the Batplane, kid."

Nightwing smirked as he pushed himself away from the outside of the plane. He inhaled deeply and glanced around his surroundings, momentarily wondering if he would be returning. He was 19 years old and he knew all too well by now that intergalactic situations could be _very_ dangerous indeed.

As he wandered into the Batplane, he considered what Tamaran would be like and what the people would be like. He considered the royal family that he would be helping alongside Batman and Superman.

Nightwing sighed and allowed his thoughts to evaporate as he fell into a chair near the back of the plane. As much as he and Bruce got along, he didn't feel like sitting beside him for the entire journey.

From what he had been told, the journey from Earth to Tamaran took roughly 17 hours which meant they would arrive at approximately 3pm the following day. Dick removed his mask and placed it on the table beside his seat. He proceeded to buckle himself into the seat securely and lean back into the soft material.

With that, Dick slowly closed his eyes whilst the plane began to ascend into space. Of course, the Batplane wasn't like a regular plane in the sense that it could withstand the atmosphere of space without burning up or anything. Dick crossed his arms over his chest and yawned. Sleep seemed extremely appealing to him at that moment so he allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep.

Dick woke with a start as the plane landed in a somewhat bumpy fashion. He groggily sat up in the chair and stretched his arms above his head and yawned. His sleep had been a broken one. He had woken up during the journey at least four times; each time with a sudden jolt.

For a brief moment, he wanted to shock Bruce with his electric tonfas for being an awful pilot during their voyage. He had been sharp with twists and turns which had continuously caused Dick to stir from his slumber.

Dick sighed but suddenly realised that they had landed upon ground which meant they must have arrived on Tamaran. He unbuckled himself from the seat and sat up straight. He peered out of the small circular window and bit back a gasp. It wasn't the worst looking planet he had ever come across but it was fairly obvious that they were in the middle of a war. Beautiful meadows and homes had clearly been destroyed as Dick glanced at the ground which was covered with debris.

Batman flipped the switches on the dashboard and got up from his own seat.

"Are we good to go?" Dick asked, placing his mask back over his crystal blue eyes. Batman gave him a short nod,

"Remember to behave, Dick. This isn't our planet anymore. Their rules aren't the same as ours." Bruce told him,

Dick groaned, "I get it, Bruce. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Just keep it in mind."

"... I will."

Batman narrowed his eyes for a moment before he swiftly turned and pressed his hand against the censor that led to the door opening. Dick rolled his eyes at Bruce's words. He wasn't a kid anymore; he knew how to behave and the difference between right and wrong.

Nightwing shook his head and rolled his shoulders back as he approached the door. With his first step out into the foreign planet, he sucked in a breath at the climate difference to Earth.

The warmth hit him like a nauseating wave. It wasn't like the typical heat of a summer's day back on Earth. This was tropical heat; sticky and unbearable. Nightwing suddenly remembered certain pieces about Tameran such as the exotic lifestyle. It was hot almost every day with a monsoon season to match. He sighed and carefully stepped onto the flat, sandy ground.

Nightwing glanced around at his location. He was able to get a good look at the planet now that he was out in the open. The ground was dusty but Nightwing assumed that it was from excess debris. There were a few still standing buildings surrounding the enormous palace that sat higher up on a Cliffside. It was somewhat picturesque but it was hard to forget about their situation in order to see their environment as peaceful and beautiful. It reminded him of a quaint little village or something.

He shook his head as Superman wandered up to him and Batman. He grinned,

"Took you two long enough to get here." He chuckled,

"Not all of us were gifted with super speedy flight, y'know," Nightwing countered. Superman shook his head and smiled. He glanced at Batman who held his signature stone expression.

"Does Myand'r know you're here yet?" Batman questioned,

"Not yet. I thought I might as well wait for you both." Superman.

"Right. We should get going then." Batman stated, causing all three of them to become slightly more serious about the situation at hand.

The three heroes began to stroll up the Cliffside towards the palace. Nightwing couldn't help but look around whilst he moved. He noticed two small children whispering and hiding behind a shrub. They seemed to be fascinated at the sight of visitors.

Nightwing flashed them a small smile to let them know that they had not come to invade their planet or hurt any of them.

The small girl made an 'o' shape with her mouth and stepped forward slightly. For a moment, he hoped that she spoke English. He crouched down so that his face was level with hers.

"Hello there," He said, soothingly,

"Hello..." She replied, quietly,

"My name's Nightwing... What's yours?"

"G'narah..."

"That's a pretty name."

The girl's face lit up at the small compliment but her expression soon settled again, "Please... Are you here to... help or hurt?"

Nightwing's expression saddened knowing that children were being exposed to such things like war and poverty and they had probably seen things that no child should ever see.

"I'm here to help, G'narah," Nightwing stated,

G'narah's tiny shoulders slumped and it seemed like a weight had been lifted from them as a small smile crept across her face.

"Are you going to see the King and Queen?" She asked, excitedly,

"Yep... Have you met them before?" Nightwing queried,

She nodded, "But I've met the princess lots more times... She's really nice. She always comes out and talks to all the little kids for hours. She's a really good princess."

"She sounds like an amazing princess." Nightwing smiled. He opened his mouth to speak but heard a sharp voice,

"Nightwing. Come on." Batman hissed,

Nightwing rolled his eyes but stood up and waved to G'narah as he jogged to keep up with Batman and Superman. He kept the fact that innocent lives were being risked and wasted from the war fresh in his mind. It was morbidly funny how talking to a small child would make that so clear to him.

He stared at the huge double wooden doors that stood in front of them now. The palace was so much bigger up close; he now saw that it was a lilac type of colour and had two large men with spear headed weapons guarding the doors like hawks.

Nightwing gulped. The guards literally looked like they could kill him with their little fingers.

Superman hesitated at first but he took a step towards the double doors. As expected, one of the guards tightened his grip around his weapon and stepped in front of the kryptonian. Superman immediately raised an eyebrow at the guard and put his hands up,  
"State your business with the Royal Family." The guard ordered,

"We are the earthlings that King Myand'r sent for." Superman paused, "I'm Superman and this is Batman and Nightwing."

The guard narrowed his eyes causing Superman to sigh and roll his eyes. He lifted from the ground and pulled out a small square piece of metal that instantly lit up with a holographic image of King Myand'r, explaining the situation and held it up to the guard.  
"Is that enough proof yet, big guy?" Superman prompted.

The guard gave Superman a swift nod and stepped back, allowing the three of them to enter the building with no further hassle. Batman glanced at Superman as they wandered inside,  
"You couldn't have just pulled the hologram out as soon as we approached them?" Batman nagged,

"That wouldn't have been any fun," Superman shrugged, causing Batman to frown and Nightwing to grin.

Nightwing had always been able to get along well with Superman. Usually, he would be the one that Dick could talk to if he found talking to Bruce too difficult which, more often than not, he did. Clark had always been there since Dick was first adopted into Bruce's care and since he was given the title of Robin, which he had now fully grown out of.

Nightwing shook his head as he realised that they were moving through the building. His thoughts must have captured his attention more than he thought as they had gained a servant who was leading them into the throne room.

He couldn't help but gawk at his surroundings. The interior of the palace was breath taking. There was a very prominent colour scheme of gold, purple and silver running throughout the rooms and there were pillars scattered against the structure, giving the palace an elegant appearance and secure stability. The floor that they were walking on was pure marble and was shiny enough to see your reflection in.

Soon enough, they were brought into the throne room. Dick forgot the interior of the palace that he had already seen when his eyes fell upon this room.

There were many sleek steps that led up to a platform that was occupied by the two red thrones that belonged to King Myand'r and Queen Luand'r. There was a thick purple rug that ran through the middle of the room and it covered the middle portion of the steps too but it simply made the room look tied together, especially with the addition of the light purple drapes that were hung behind the thrones. The floor was gold and glimmered like the sun. The walls were a light shade of grey that somewhat bordered a light purple colour also. The palace was outstanding and it took a rough nudge from Batman to pull Nightwing out of his reverie.

Nightwing gulped as he set his sights on the King and Queen who were perched on their thrones, respectively.

King Myand'r was a large man who had a mop of red hair that matched his rough beard that cascaded from his face. He wore traditional tamaranian clothing which consisted of purple and silver gauntlets and materials. He didn't wear his crown but Nightwing noticed that it was placed beside his throne.

Queen Luand'r was very pretty indeed. She had golden, glowing skin and her red waterfall of hair was pulled back and pinned up, revealing her face. She wore a small, delicate crown on the top of her head and her long dress had the same colour scheme as the King's attire; purple and silver.

As Nightwing, Batman and Superman approached, they all felt the need to bow slightly out of pure respect for the ruler of Tamaran.

King Myand'r stood up and strolled down the steps that led him closer to them all. He chuckled loudly and slapped a hand down against Superman's shoulder.

"Come Superman! You and your comrades do not need to portray such formality." He informed him, patting his shoulder.

Superman's expression softened and a warm smile crossed his features, "It's good to see you again, Myand'r and in perfect health, too." Superman returned,

Myand'r nodded, "Likewise, Superman." He paused and looked over Batman and Nightwing briefly, "Please, introduce me to your associates,"

"This is Batman and this is Nightwing." Superman told him, gesturing towards each individual.

Myand'r grinned and nodded to them both before giving both of them a firm handshake; a mix between relief and gratitude for their help.

"I must thank you both for agreeing to accompany Superman in aiding our planet. It is very much appreciated." Myand'r explained,

"We'll do everything we can to help you and your people," Batman stated, his tone reassuring.

The king took a couple of steps back from the three heroes and stared off towards the side of the room. He turned his head back to them and smiled, "Please, allow me to introduce my son to you all..." He paused as he gestured to where he had been previously looking.

Nightwing was shocked to see that the prince had defined muscle mass in his bare arms, torso and stomach. He was pretty sure that Superman had told him that the Prince was roughly the same age as him but he certainly looked a lot older than Dick; that was for sure.

The prince's garments held the sacred element of silver and purple and it was a simple vest like top half with a silver neck plate which contained a small emerald in the middle. He wore a thick silver belt and a purple shendyt around his waist with black legging type armour beneath it. His boots were purple and reached to his knees to ensure extra protection in his armour.

Nightwing suddenly realised that the prince had come closer and was now standing tall beside his father with his hands tucked behind his back,

"This is my son, Prince Ryand'r." Myand'r stated, patting his child's shoulder.

"It is nice to meet you all. I am grateful that you are willing to aid us through this difficult time." Ryand'r said, bowing his head slightly to show respect.

Batman, Superman and Nightwing all returned the gesture of bowing their heads to the prince.

"That is Superman, that is Batman and that is Nightwing, my son." Myand'r told him, gesturing to each person.

Ryand'r nodded in understanding and then nodded to the three heroes to expand on his show of appreciation.

Nightwing stared at Ryand'r as he considered the contrasts between them. Ryand'r was a young man just like him; one of 19 years old and yet they led somewhat different lives. They were both fighting wars but in completely different circumstances. Nightwing fought the war of street crime and preventing criminals from spreading terror but Ryand'r fought a war on a much bigger scale. He was fighting to protect a whole planet; his home, his family, his people.

He shook his head at the thought of such responsibilities.

Suddenly, King Myand'r's voice broke through Nightwing's reverie. He had his hand held out to the side as he was introducing another individual,

"And this is my daughter, Princess Koriand'r..." Myand'r informed them, beckoning the young girl with his hand.

Nightwing turned his head to look at her and his jaw dropped open slightly. She was literally breathtaking. Her hair was dark red and fell neatly around her shoulders. Her skin was exotically golden and her eyes were a beautiful shade of green that held a mesmerising flicker in the light. Again, she wore a small crown to symbolise her status however she wore little clothing but it was enough to be deemed tasteful. She wore a purple garment that covered her breasts and her stomach was completely bare. She wore bottoms that resembled a bikini ensemble with thin doubled silver belts wrapped around her waist which allowed a thin mesh like material to drape carefully around her hips and long legs. Lastly, she wore winding silver armbands which matched with the twisted silver bands around her ankles. Princess Koriand'r was practically the definition of an exotic beauty.

Nightwing gulped and stood up straight, closing his mouth in the process. He could have sworn that he eyed Batman narrowing the slits in his cowl at him for staring at her in such a way.

The princess stepped daintily closer to them whilst her father spoke to her in their native tongue, "Koriand'r, zitkar morplerk saarpeh hep'er yr Superman, Batman fer Nightwing." He presumably informed her,

Koriand'r nodded to her father and mirrored Ryand'r's steps. She stood before Superman and softly smiled.

"It is good to meet you, Princess. I hope we will be useful to your cause." Superman admitted, earning a small nod from her. Nightwing had a feeling that she had no idea what he had just said by the look on her face.

She sidestepped in front of Batman and stood up straight whilst he spoke to her, "Agreed. I really hope we can aid your planet in the threat you currently face." Batman stated.

Koriand'r smiled and nodded again. Nightwing felt his heartbeat increase as the princess stood before him within mere seconds.

"I... It's uh... It's nice to meet you... Like Superman said; I hope we can be helpful to you." He stuttered, becoming lost in her deep jade eyes that glimmered for a brief moment.

The princess tilted her head at him and smiled. Her eyes narrowed slightly as if she was considering something.

She turned towards her father and spoke in Tamaranian, "Fa'rka. Hebu shiru kanji nu ogna?" She asked, earning a curt nod from the King.

The princess turned back to Nightwing and without warning, she grabbed the front of his uniform and quickly pulled him in for a kiss. He nearly passed out. He was completely unsure about whether or not he should kiss her back or anything. He felt that it would be seen as a bad choice considering that she was royalty but he didn't understand it at all.

However, he immediately sank into a newfound relaxation. Her lips were soft and warm; perfectly kissable lips.

After a minute or so, Koriand'r released him and let go of his uniform too. She cleared her throat and smiled like nothing had just happened,

"Hello..." She whispered, causing Nightwing to shiver at the light sound of her voice,

Nightwing remained dazed for a couple of minutes but he was brought back to reality with the boom of King Myand'r hearty laugh.

"Sorry about that, Nightwing." Myand'r chuckled, "It is a trait that all Tamaranians are born with. It is the ability to pick up a whole new language via lip contact and my daughter has never come into contact with an English speaking human before. Forgive her."

Nightwing glanced down at the princess who was blushing. She took a step back from Nightwing and held an expression that told him that she felt ashamed of her sudden actions.

"Apologies, Nightwing... I did not mean to offend you," She explained, briefly locking eyes with him.

He softly smiled down at her and shook his head, "N-No... You didn't... Really..." He replied, quietly,

Koriand'r favoured him with an appreciative smile and bowed her head slightly. For a second, Nightwing began to enjoy the fact that he had agreed to join Batman and Superman on the mission.

There were murmurs filling the throne room as Batman, Superman, King Myand'r and Ryand'r all bustled around to begin talking about strategies for upcoming battles.

Nightwing threw a couple of quick glances in Princess Koriand'r's direction as she idly stood by whilst the others talked about tactics. She didn't look bored; she just looked content.

"Nightwing, my boy!" King Myand'r called,

He gulped, "Uh... Y-Yes, King Myand'r?" He responded,

"Are you wishing to join the discussions about the battles?" He wondered, genuinely,

"Um... No thank you... I'd rather explore your stunning palace if that's okay..." Nightwing hoped,

"Of course!" Myand'r chuckled before turning his attention back towards the conversation about their battle plan.

The princess shyly stepped towards the masked hero with her hands clasped in front of her. Nightwing immediately straightened up and looked down at her,

"Please allow me to show you around, Nightwing." She suggested,

"Are you sure? You don't have to, Princess..." Nightwing returned, not wanting to take up her time,

"I am positive. Besides, I believe it would be nice to get to know one of the humans aiding us in this war." She admitted, tugging his arm slightly.

Nightwing smiled at her thoughtfulness. He nodded and followed her as she wandered out of the room, her hair swishing from side to side as she moved.

The two of them walked around for a long time, exploring the many rooms of the palace. As the 'tour' was drawing to an end, Koriand'r held out a hand to the last room which happened to be the armoury.

"And this is the royal armoury. We store the finest and most useful of weapons in this room." Koriand'r stated, clasping her hands in front of her as Nightwing drank up the sight with his eyes. He gave into a low and approving whistle,

"Impressive..." He paused, "So... You _kill_ your enemies with these?"

The princess gave him a knowing glance and sighed, "I believe I know what you are thinking... I believe killing to be as barbaric as the following person Nightwing however; it is final and in the dire situation that we face, we must strike down as many foes as possible..."

Nightwing shook his head and held up his hands to her, "Hey, I'm not judging. This isn't Earth... Things are different here and I respect that." He told her,

Koriand'r favoured him with a small smile as her mind began to wander, "I... What is Earth like?" She queried, quietly.

Dick stared at her for a moment, "It's okay, I guess," He shrugged,

She tilted her head at him, clearly telling him that she wanted a better answer than that.

"You've never been to Earth? At all?"

Koriand'r shook her head and lightly laughed, "You may not have noticed but I am a princess. I am forbidden from even leaving the palace without permission from my father and that includes travel to other planets also."

Nightwing frowned, feeling a pang of sympathy for her, "Don't you get tired of that?"  
She sighed and glanced out of the window, "I must follow the orders that I am given. It is simply something that I must do."

He held his breath and stepped closer to the royal beauty. She looked up at him and Nightwing could clearly see the intense feeling of isolation in her eyes that she was forced to endure.

"So I'm right in guessing that you've wanted to go to Earth for a while then?" Nightwing assumed,

Her eyes sparkled for a moment, "Oh yes. I am so very interested in how humans live... I have read thousands of books about Earth. However, that is as far as my interest in your planet is permitted to go."

Nightwing smiled fondly and joined her by the window. He stared into her emerald eyes as he spoke, "Well... Earth is extremely different to Tamaran, I gotta say. The people are different... The entertainment is different... The music is different..."

The princess smirked, "So things are... different then?"

Nightwing chuckled but had a question in mind for her, "So... Can I ask you something, Princess?"

She nodded.

"What is this war over?" He paused, "I mean... What is everyone fighting for?"

"The Citadel wish to take our home and use the people as their slaves until the end of their days... We are fighting to save our lives."

"What would they do with the royal family?"

"My father and brother would be murdered,"

"And you and the Queen?"

Koriand'r cast her eyes downwards, "We would be their personal slaves for... _Pleasure_..."

Nightwing felt his heart stop at her shocking statement. He couldn't believe that a race could be so heartless and malicious.

She offered him a shaky smile, "The Citadel are... Not nice people..."

Nightwing stood still as he considered what she had told him. She raised her eyebrows at him slightly and crossed her arms over her chest, "Now do you believe our cause to be so barbaric and cruel?"

Nightwing shook his head at her which caused her to softly smile.

"Come... I shall show you the gardens." Kori suggested, beckoning him to follow he as she strolled out of the Armoury.

Together, they ambled through the hallway that led to large double doors that revealed the stretch of land that was cared for and referred to as the gardens. There was a large fountain in the centre of the garden with large bushes dotted in all four corners of the grounds. There were benches pinpointed around the gardens with entrances leading into all different areas of the palace.

Nightwing inhaled the fresh air and exhaled contently, "Wow... This place is beautiful." He commented,

"I love to take walks around the gardens on most days... It is a refreshing break between my studies and duties."

"Studies and duties?"

The princess lifted a hand to her mouth and giggled sweetly, "My day consists of waking up, consuming my breakfast and getting dressed. I continue my day with learning the history of Tamaran, learning combat techniques, gown fittings, the art of tamaranian dance, signing of laws and I finish the day with further combat practice."

"Whoa... And I thought my days could be busy."

Koriand'r shrugged, "I have become accustomed to be schedule now."

"So, when you _do_ have free time, you come out here?"

The princess nodded, "It is the only thing that reminds me that not all is ruined in this forsaken time of war." She practically whispered whilst glancing into the crystal clear water that settled within the fountain.

Nightwing's expression softened and he felt pure sympathy for the beautiful girl in front of him. He wanted to reach out a comforting hand upon her shoulder but he feared that his hands would get cut off for even _touching_ the princess.

He realised that she wore a metaphorical mask. She hid how she really felt. She played along with her father's orders when really she wanted no part of the war and she certainly didn't want any part in being of royal blood as it caused her to live such a restricted lifestyle. He realised that this cheerful, upbeat girl was really lost in her chaotic world with no one to turn to.

Nightwing opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by a loud bang noise that boomed throughout the palace. He jumped at the noise but turned to Princess Koriand'r,

"What was that?" He questioned,

"It signifies that it is time to eat within the grand hall. One blow signifies that it is time to eat; two blows signify that everyone must prepare for battle and three blows signify that the king and/or queen have been killed. Four blows signify that the war is over." She explained,

Dick blinked at her a couple of times but rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I uh... Might have to write that stuff down..." He admitted, grinning.

Koriand'r's jade eyes sparkled as she giggled. She shook her head and sighed at Nightwing. The princess nodded her head to the side, "Come... We should go." She giggled as she began walking back inside. Nightwing smirked and followed closely behind her...


	2. Chapter 2

Nightwing glanced at the long, grand table that they were all sat at. It was full of porcelain plates of different sizes and crystal clear glasses with an odd blue liquid within them. There was a line of cutlery on either side of a singular plate which made him realise that it was an elegant and sophisticated environment within the palace. There were candles lit along the table too which worked pretty nicely considering Nightwing had been placed opposite Princess Koriand'r.

He glanced up at her and smirked as he noticed that she was running her index finger along the edge of her glass, absentmindedly. Koriand'r must have sensed his eyes on her because she looked up at him almost immediately. She softly smiled and rolled her eyes. He quietly chuckled to himself, knowing that she was rolling her eyes at the topic of conversation among the others at the table.

Batman, Superman, King Myand'r and Ryand'r were all immersed in their conversation about tactics and strategies about approaching the upcoming battle. By the sounds of it, the King and his son were the ones finding problems in each others' plans.

Nightwing shook his head. He felt somewhat sorry for the Queen and the Princess. He assumed that they literally had to sit back and deal with the continuous talk revolving around the war and soldier numbers etc. For a moment, he wondered what their conversations would be like if they faced no war at all.

Suddenly, a line of servants filed out from the kitchen carrying trays of _questionable_ looking food. Nightwing gulped. He wasn't too fussy about food on Earth but he couldn't help the reluctance to eat the stuff that was building within him.  
The trays were set down and revealed clearly to the whole table. Nightwing recoiled in his chair slightly, as if he had already taken a bite of the unappealing substances.

Koriand'r stared at Nightwing as his eyes fell upon the unfamiliar cuisine and she giggled. She cleared her throat which caught his attention without fail. She bit her lip and scanned her eyes over the food choices. Koriand'r nodded to herself and stuck her hand out to Nightwing, signalling him to give her his plate.

Nightwing obliged the Princess and watched as she piled certain things onto his plate. He wondered what she was doing and his facial expression clearly portrayed this confusion because Koriand'r lightly laughed whilst she handed the plate back to him.

"I sensed that you were unsure about eating our cuisine..." She began,

"I didn't mean to offend you, Princess... I... Uh..." He stuttered,

She offered him a genuine smile, "That is okay, Nightwing. I would be hesitant if I were in the same position as you. This planet is unfamiliar; the food is bound to be questionable also, yes?"

Nightwing nodded and gave her a small smile. He was glad that she didn't take offense and that she was so understanding.

"That is why I have chosen food that I believe you will be able to consume." She paused, "Please, trust me."

He stared into her big green orbs and considered her request. _Trust me_. As strange as it sounded, he did trust the enchanting Princess that sat in front of him. Yes, he had only known her for a few hours but there was something about her that caused him to put his faith in her.

"I trust you, Princess." Nightwing returned, seriously. Koriand'r tilted her head to the side a little and smiled. He grabbed the silver instrument that most resembled a fork and stared down at the food on his plate. There was something gooey on the plate that jiggled slightly after he poked it. There was also a sludge looking piece of meat, maybe? He wasn't sure what it was. He gulped and decided that he needed to trust in Koriand'r.

Hesitantly, he stabbed the gooey addition to his place and lifted it up to his face. He quickly sniffed it and continued to gawk at it. The Princess sat opposite him with hope in her eyes that she had succeeded in finding him something suitable to eat that he wouldn't hate.

Nightwing shrugged and placed the food into his mouth in one big bite. He closed his eyes and expected his gag reflex to get going soon but the complete opposite happened. He allowed the flavour to fill his senses. It may have looked strange but it tasted amazing. It was a mix of flavours; to him, it tasted like orange mixed with lemon and lime. Nightwing opened his eyes and smiled at Koriand'r.

"Please, do you like it?" Koriand'r asked, clasping her hands together.

Nightwing swallowed the mouthful and sighed in content, "Princess... It tastes awesome! Honestly, I expected it to taste like vomit..." He admitted,

The Princess giggled, "I am glad that you feel that way towards something of Tamaranian cuisine."

He fixed his eyes on her. She was not how he imagined her at all. Truthfully, he expected the Princess to be stuck up and all about herself but Koriand'r wasn't like that at all. She was sweet and caring; it was obvious from the way that she talked about her people and how much they meant to her. It was clear to anyone that she was beautiful to match but he felt that there was so much more to her and he hoped that he would be lucky enough to learn more about her as his time there rolled on.

"Uh... So, what is this called?" Nightwing wondered,

"It is called Yer'kolftar and it is a very traditional Tamaranian dish," Koriand'r returned,

"Again... I need to start writing this stuff down." Nightwing chuckled. The Princess joined him in the laughter but gasped when a fist slammed into the other end of the table, shaking the objects upon it.

Koriand'r turned her head immediately to investigate what had just happened. She mentally sighed as she noticed her brother looking indignant about whatever had just been said. The whole room remained silent as if waiting for the King's response.

"Father, if we go for a straight forward attack, then our army will be wiped out in a matter of minutes." Ryand'r stated, gravely.

The King leaned back in his chair, looking somewhat unimpressed, "And what do you propose we do instead, Ryand'r?" He queried, narrowing his eyes at his son.

"Be smarter about the situation. The enemy will be expecting us so we should carry out a surprise attack. Go from behind and-"

"That will be far too time consuming."

"But father-"

"I am finished discussing the matter, Ryand'r."

The Prince gave into a low growl and stood up from his chair. He threw his fork down onto the plate and it clattered loudly. He pushed his chair back and abruptly stormed out of the room.

Koriand'r's expression softened with sympathy for her brother. It was not uncommon that their father would turn their ideas away if he did not believe in them at all.

She pushed herself up from her chair slowly whilst keeping her eyes locked on the direction that Ryand'r had taken. The Princess almost didn't hear her father speaking.

"Unless you have forgotten where your loyalties lie my daughter, it would be wise for you to sit back down." The King expressed, keeping his eyes on his plate of food.

Koriand'r frowned and narrowed her eyes, "My loyalties lie with my family. Ryand'r is my brother and I care for how he feels, father." She responded, bitterly.

With that, the Princess followed in her brother's footsteps and left the dining room.

Koriand'r stepped outside and had a feeling that she knew where Ryand'r would be. Whenever her brother had lost his temper about something in the past, he would always take it out on the trees. Koriand'r smirked and grabbed her bow and quiver and set out for the further outskirts of the forest.

Ryand'r gritted his teeth and breathed heavily as he stood in front of a large tree with his feet securely set apart from each other. He inhaled a deep breath and steadied his bow confidently. He reached behind his head and retrieved a sharp tipped arrow. He aligned the sharp object upon his bow and breathed evenly whilst he focused on his target which evidently happened to be the middle of the tree.

He pulled his arm back in order to get some good distance into his shot and his fingers were about to release the arrow when suddenly, an arrow pierced the air beside his head and hit the target that he had been aiming for.

Ryand'r lowered his weapon and chuckled. He only knew one person who would be able to make that shot.

He turned around and tilted his head at Koriand'r who was smiling sweetly at him.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you are a better soldier than I, Kori." He stated, meekly. Ryand'r sighed and sat upon a heavy log that lay beside the tree that Kori had just struck with an arrow.

Kori frowned and felt immense sympathy for her brother. It was difficult to be the children of the King sometimes, especially when that King would not even listen to their ideas.

She wandered over and took a seat beside Ryand'r upon the log, signalling to him that he could vent if he wanted too.

"Why does father never listen to me?" He mumbled, kicking the dirt with his foot.

Kori sighed, "Father can be... Difficult when it comes to others giving him ideas especially when it is his own children. You must handle such conversations with him calmly and rationally."

"I was calm!" Ryand'r exclaimed, earning a disbelieving look from Kori.

He sighed in defeat, knowing that she had a point.

"You and father are very similar, Ryan. It is quite possibly the reason in which you clash so very often." Kori paused and stood up, placing her hands behind her back elegantly, "He will consider your tactical ideas, brother. You know father will after he moves past his stubbornness."

She delicately walked over to the tree and ran her slender fingers across the texture of the tree bark before she ripped the arrow out of the wood. She focused her emerald eyes on the sharp tip of the arrow whilst she listened to Ryan.

"I just think that it'll be a smarter way of dealing with the enemies... Especially with the help of the earthlings. Tell me, sister, what do you think of them?" He explored,

"I have only spoken to Nightwing but the Superman and the Batman seem very knowledgeable and considerate; factors which may help our cause immensely." Kori returned,

"And Nightwing?" Ryan urged,

The Princess involuntarily smiled at the thought of the young human who she had practically spent the whole day with. He was so easy to get along with and he was incredibly sweet when it came to talking about Earth. He had already told her so much about the blue planet that she longed to visit. She couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach at the mere mention of his name.

"He is... Nice..." She said, quietly.

Ryan noticed his sister's expression and raised an eyebrow, "Nice?" He smirked,

Kori narrowed her eyes playfully at her brother and shrugged, "He is easy to speak to... And he does not seem very judgemental over the differences between human ways of dealing with wars in comparison to that of Tamaranian's."

"Are there really that many differences?"

"Mm... No. However, Tamaranian's are a lot more... brutal in the way in which we kill our enemies."

Ryan gave her a short nod, "So, you get along with him then?"

Kori was in a small trance. She was thinking about the masked human whilst she gently touched the tip of the arrow that was still in her hands, "Mm..." She hummed, barely listening to what her brother was saying.

The Prince chuckled quietly at his sister's behaviour. The two of them weren't from Earth but he knew the type of dazed expression that was on her face. He shook his head and cleared his throat as he pushed himself to his feet,

"Come, Kori. We should go back inside, I suppose." Ryan suggested,

Kori suddenly shook her head and glanced at him. She gave him a nod and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder,

"I know he can be frustrating but please remain calm when speaking to Father." Kori hoped, batting her eyelashes at her brother,

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Fine... I'll try."

Kori beamed and clapped her hands lightly, "That is all I ask of you, Ryan." She giggled, lifting a couple of inches off of the ground. She twirled through the air as they returned to the dining room.

Ryan smiled at his sister absentmindedly. Even amidst all of the chaos and the war that was going on around her, she would forever be the most positive person on the planet and he couldn't help but admire her for that...


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Kori stood in front of the large mirror within her bedroom and glanced over her appearance. She was wearing a simple outfit to begin her day considering she had combat training to start with. She wore a simple grey crossover crop vest that revealed her stomach and a pair of grey pants that had a mesh material against the leg. The Princess sighed as she pulled her long auburn hair up into a high ponytail to keep it out of her face whilst she practiced.

Sometimes, Kori honestly felt depressed when she had to follow her stupid schedule. Normally, she wouldn't mind having combat practice; in fact, she would usually welcome it but when she _had_ to do it at a certain time every day, it got her down.

Kori shook her head and wandered out of her room and continued through the hallways. She started thinking about the war once again. Not a day went by without her thinking about it at least once. Kori hated the very idea of war. She didn't see how violence could ever beat violence. Logically, it would never make sense.

She approached the armoury and mentally prepared herself for her training. She softly smiled as she noticed Nightwing turning the corner opposite her. Kori brushed some of her hair behind her ear and placed her hands behind her back, gracefully.

Nightwing immediately smiled back at her when he looked up and his eyes locked with hers.

"Good morning, Nightwing." Kori greeted, nodding her head at him,

"Good morning, Princess Koriand'r." Nightwing replied,

"May I ask what you have planned for the day?"

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck, "Well... I was wondering if I would be able to use the weapons to train with... I mean, if that's okay?"

Kori smiled, "Of course you can, Nightwing."

She took a step forward so that she was merely inches away from Nightwing. He could smell her intoxicating strawberry scent as she suddenly got closer. Nightwing couldn't help himself as he stared at the Princess before him. It was no lie that she was beautiful; he knew that the day he had met her. However, he simply enjoyed examining her outstanding features. Her eyes were a deep shade of green that held lighter flecks within them when she stood in the light. Her skin was a gorgeous golden colour that caused her to glow stunningly. And of course, her wardrobe choices had the ability to make him forget every thought in his head. He knew it was wrong to have anything close to feelings for the Princess but he couldn't help whatever it was that he _was_ feeling; she was just so captivating.

Nightwing cleared his throat and refocused on what she was actually doing. Kori spun the lock around and the heavy doors suddenly released and opened without delay. She placed her hands on her hips and turned to him with a smirk.

"What about you, Princess?" He paused as he too, stepped inside, "What are your plans for today?"

"I am about to start my combat practice."

Nightwing stared at her for a moment, shocked at what she had said. It started to make sense in his head that this delicate Princess was often placed upon the battlefield with the other soldiers.

"Princess... Do you intend on physically being a part of the war?"

Kori glanced at him incredulously. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him, "Of course... Why? Do you think that I am incapable of combat due to being a female?"

His eyes widened momentarily and he put his hands up immediately, "N-No... It's just... Wouldn't it be dangerous for the Princess to be in the middle of a battlefield?"

"No more dangerous than it is for my father; the king or my brother; the prince to be upon the battlefield."

Nightwing smirked at her determination to be treated like everyone else when it came to battle. He crossed his arms over his chest, "So, Princess... How good are your skills?" He challenged, earning a mirrored smirk from Kori.

"Do you wish to see how skilful I am?"

"Are you asking me to fight you?"

"What is wrong? Are you afraid to fight a Princess?"

He chuckled in response and shrugged, "Let's go then,"

Kori giggled and they entered the arena part of the Armoury. Nightwing glanced around at the space around them. It was similar to the arena that he trained in back home with Bruce. The walls and floor were white which he assumed allowed the Tamaranians to conduct realistic simulations of battles to prepare themselves.

Nightwing turned around to face Kori who had two wooden swords in her hands. Of course, real swords weren't normally used during training because it was more dangerous if a mistake was made. The Princess handed him one of the wooden swords and then took a step back from him. He watched her as she wrapped white gauze around both of her hands. Nightwing assumed that it was to keep her hands protected so that they wouldn't end up cut and bruised whilst she practiced her fighting skills.

Kori tilted her head at Nightwing and smiled softly, "Are you ready?" She asked, positioning herself so that she was poised for attack.

Nightwing gave her a quick nod and mirrored her stance. Kori grinned, "Go." She ordered, sparking the fighting attitude within them both.

Kori quickly moved forward, holding her sword out in front of her to be ready for any jabs. Nightwing responded by leaning away from her. He carefully stepped back and kept his eyes glued on her form as well as her weapon. He felt a small smile tug at his lips. She was beautiful even when she held battle stances. Nightwing could tell that the exotic Princess was beginning to captivate him and he knew that was dangerous territory but he didn't want to stop hanging out with her and getting to know her just because he may develop a crush on her. That's all it would ever be anyway; a crush.

While his mind had been focused on Kori, she had gracefully moved behind him. Nightwing shook his head and performed a back flip just as she dashed forward with her weapon. He flashed Kori a smirk and stepped forward, hitting his sword against the edge of hers. Kori bit her lip in concentration and fought back by stepping forward, causing him to lose confidence. She dodged a hit from Nightwing by stepping to the side and in a quick motion; she twirled and followed it through with an elegant cartwheel. She spun back around and smacked the wooden sword out of Nightwing's hand. He lost his balance and fell on his behind. Kori stood before him, holding the sword to his neck to signify that she was victorious.

"Yeah, yeah, you win," Nightwing chuckled, gently moving the hollow blade away from him.

Kori giggled, "You are very skilled though, Nightwing. I feel honoured to have practice with you,"

Nightwing offered her a soft smile as she held a hand out to him. He accepted it and was pulled to his feet. His hand stayed within her grasp for a couple seconds more. All Nightwing could think about was how soft her skin was. He sheepishly retracted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck.

Kori blushed a light pink and brushed some of her hair behind her ear.

"I should go... I am supposed to be seeing my mother and father to talk about defence techniques in case a surprise attack should occur in the near future." She explained, "I shall see you later, yes?"

Nightwing smirked, "Definitely."

The Princess bit her lip to fight the big grin that threatened to show across her lips. She nodded and strolled out of the Armoury. Kori leaned against the wall for a moment as the light blush upon her cheeks deepened at the thought of the boy beyond the wall that she had just left. It was so easy to get along with him but the feelings that she was experiencing were so new to her; she didn't completely understand them. She knew that she was feeling romantic emotions for Nightwing but she wasn't sure how to deal with them. Kori knew the differences between them. She was a Princess whereas he was a human. However, Kori had always been the rebellious type; to fight for what her heart wanted so she didn't care much for the 'rules' that someone of her status supposedly had to stand by.

Kori blinked a couple of times to bring herself out of the trance she was in and set off to find her parents.

The evening was just beginning to draw in when Kori found herself wandering through the royal gardens, accompanied of course, by Nightwing. They calmly strolled past the rose bushes and trees that were lined with beautiful string lights. Nightwing smiled at the beauty of the gardens. It was clearly an area that had been preserved carefully and tenderly.

He threw a glance in Kori's direction and smiled as she idly stared up at the millions of stars in the sky. He had a question that he had wanted to ask her.

"Uh... Princess? I've been meaning to ask you something..." He began,

"What is it, Nightwing?" She replied,

"... I was wondering about your sister. I had heard that you had a brother and a sister but I've only seen Ryand'r."

Kori sighed, "She... Komand'r was not pure of heart. She betrayed us 3 years ago and when she did not deliver enough information, members of the Citadel murdered her."

Nightwing frowned, "That's horrible..."

"I was not affected too much by her death. She chose to betray her family and her world. In truth, I believe it was her own fault."

He nodded as he listened to her carefully,

"After she passed... My family became closer. Ryan and I became inseparable."

Nightwing smiled and raised an eyebrow, "Ryan?"

Kori giggled and took a seat with Nightwing upon a stone bench, "Oh... Yes. We shorten our names with one another. I call him Ryan whilst he calls me Kori."

"Kori... That's pretty."

The Princess felt her cheeks heat up and she grinned, "Thank you, Nightwing. You may call me Kori too, if you wish. I believe we are friends so I feel comfortable with it."

Nightwing nodded, "Alright, I will, Princess..."

Kori laughed and shook her head at him, "Please... You do not have to call me Princess, Nightwing. It is simply a status... In truth, I hate it when I am referred to as 'Princess'. It is like people are defining me as the king's daughter and nothing more.

"Oh, you're much more than that." He blurted,

Her blush deepened and she ducked her head briefly before she blinked innocently at him, "May I ask something of you, Nightwing?"

"Of course,"

"Do you have a real name? Surely it is not truly Nightwing?"

Nightwing chuckled, "Yeah... My name is Richard Grayson but a lot of people call me Dick so... Your choice."

"I believe I like Richard more..."

The two of them gazed at each other with matching smiles of shyness. Kori's heart beat faster and she was somewhat afraid that Dick would be able to hear it. She opened her mouth to say something but their moment was suddenly cut short by two loud booms from the cannon.

Kori turned her head immediately towards the bangs. She gasped, "Surprise attack..."

She hurried over to the edge of the gardens and briefly leaned against the stone wall that overlooked the city. Kori's eyes widened as she witnessed the houses below being set alight with families being dragged out of them, crying and screaming. Kori gritted her teeth as she noticed the soldiers laughing about the destruction that they were causing. She knew that they were easily outnumbered but she needed to hurry to the battle.

Kori tapped the stone wall and sprinted inside with Nightwing following closely behind her. She burst into the throne room and caught her father and brother's attention immediately,

"Father... Outside..." She panted, tying her sword to her waist,

"I know, Koriand'r. We're sending soldiers now. Let's go!" Myand'r stated, grabbing his own sword as he headed outside.

Nightwing followed the King, Ryand'r, Kori, Batman and Superman but felt lost amidst the chaos that was erupting from the quaint city. They all stopped as they reached the area of devastation.

The Princess glanced around with tears in her eyes. The city was on the verge of complete obliteration and they were failing to stop it. Kori shook her head and unsheathed her sword. She became poised for battle whilst the rest of her company ran off in separate directions to help the people. She kept in mind that Nightwing was hovering near her and she took a lot of comfort in knowing that he was remaining by her side.

Kori turned her head and watched a soldier run at her with his sword drawn above his head. She clenched her teeth and practically danced around him and stabbed him through the chest.

She gulped and looked up at Nightwing, knowing that he was uncomfortable with killing. Part of her prayed that he didn't think of her as some kind of monster; she had to protect herself and others and if killing was the way of doing that, then she would do it without question.

Nightwing stared at her for a moment but something registered in his head that things were different on Tamaran; it was war, not murder. He gave her a small nod to tell her that he understood.

Koriand'r spun around as she heard a soldier approach and swung her sword into his side, causing him to collapse on the spot. She breathed deeply as she watched the soldier suffer. She hated killing soldiers because she knew that they were just following orders but she was also fully aware of her duties to her people. It was an inner conflict that continuously went through her head that could never be resolved.

Suddenly, Kori heard the screaming of her name and frantically looked around for the source. Her eyes fell upon a small child that she recognized immediately.

"Princess! Help! Please!" G'narah cried, desperately clawing at the arm of the soldier who was dragging her out of her home.

Kori's eyes widened in fear and she tightened her grip on the sword in her right hand. She and Nightwing quickly began to move towards G'narah but they were being slowed by the wall of soldiers before them. Koriand'r pushed most of the soldiers away from her, deciding that they would be foolish in trying to pursue her.

The soldier that had G'narah drew his sword and Kori's heart raced faster.

"G'narah! No! Please! Leave her alone! Please!" Kori screamed, letting her emotions suffocate her warrior exterior.

Kori panted as a soldier roughly grabbed her arm. She growled and stabbed him through the chest, killing him instantly.

The Princess turned around and froze. The blood drained from her face and she felt weak. She suddenly felt cold as she witnessed the soldier slice G'narah's throat. Kori immediately went into a state of shock. She had seen many battles growing up in a world that was run by anarchy but she had never seen a child killed in such a barbaric way. Kori felt numb as she watched G'narah's life evaporate as if it was nothing. She knew that tears were falling from her eyes but for some reason, she couldn't feel them roll down her cheeks.

Nightwing practically mirrored Kori's expression. He felt sick at the blood bath around him but seeing the young hopeful girl he had met a day earlier be killed so cruelly caused him to feel dizzy. He watched Kori carefully for her reaction; it was clear that she had close bonds with her people.

Kori huffed as her feelings bubbled. Her eyes fell upon the soldier who had just killed G'narah. He grinned and disregarded the young girl's body by simply letting it fall to the ground disgracefully.

That was what brought Kori out of her trance like state. Anger was the one and only emotion she felt. Her breathing came quicker and she moved towards the soldier hastily.  
She dropped her sword and heard it clatter against the ground. Kori felt raw, savage rage burn throughout her body. She snarled and darted over to the soldier. In a quick motion, the usually graceful and elegant Princess punched the soldier in the face before she pounced onto his shoulders. She swiftly snapped his neck in one jolt to the right with her knees.

Nightwing closed his eyes as Kori brutally eradicated the cold-blooded soldier. He agreed with killing him whole heartedly but he knew that Kori was enraged so he understood that the method would be vicious.

He looked at G'narah's limp body with a sad expression and slowly made his way over to her. He kneeled down beside G'narah and gave into a heavy sigh. The fact that children were dying was a wakeup call that the war was completely out of control. Nightwing felt a presence beside him but he didn't need to look up.

Kori fell to her knees beside him. She looked over the girl in front of them and lowered her head. Dick glanced at her as her auburn hair cascaded around her shoulders like a curtain. He heard her sniff and understood that she was crying. He hesitated but placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder.

She slowly shook her head and looked up at the night sky,

"This... This is my fault..." She whispered,

"Kori, don't say that-" He began,

She suddenly looked him straight in the eyes, "It is true! My duty is to protect my people. Does it look like I have done that?"

"Yes. You can't protect them all but you did protect a lot of them tonight, Kori."

Kori sighed and her shoulders slumped. She gently closed G'narah's eyes so that she could rest peacefully in death.

"Zakarah'eh neut'ael, G'narah." Kori murmured. Dick assumed that it was the equivalent of 'rest in peace'.

"I... I didn't realise how barbaric they are..." Dick stammered,

Kori was distant as she responded, " _Never_ underestimate the citadel. They will kill anyone that stands in their way... Even an innocent child."

She proceeded to stand up. Kori brought G'narah into her arms and carried her to the river that flowed along the edge of the city. She lowered the child's body onto a sturdy piece of wood that rested against a large rock upon the river bank. Kori continued and grabbed flowers that ranged in colour and size and started decorating G'narah's body with them. She placed a couple of red flowers in her hair, blue and purple ones in her hands and she even laid some orange and pink ones on the edge of the wood.

Koriand'r could almost sense Dick's questioning expression in the back of her mind so she cleared her throat and explained, "So that she has peace and nature with her in the afterlife."

She grabbed two sticks and began rubbing them together. After a moment, fire sparked the sticks in her hands and she lowered them onto G'narah's body and the piece of wood which she rested upon. Kori pushed the wood out on the water and watched as the lifeless body began to burn.

"It is a Tamaranian ritual to burn the body and push them up the river. It is said that their ashes take to the sky and they become united with X'hal." Kori said, quietly.

Nightwing nodded to show that he had listened to her. Kori turned to him and eyed him carefully. Without warning, she threw her arms around him and leaned her face against his shoulder.

Dick was initially caught off guard by the sudden movement but he didn't hesitate to return the hug. He gently wrapped his arms around her and even went so far as to stroke her hair. Kori closed her eyes and sighed. She felt comforted by him and right now, that was exactly what she needed. Nightwing frowned. He felt sympathy for the Princess. She had the weight of Tamaran on her shoulders with few people to talk about it with. He found it unbelievable how she could still walk around with a smile on her face and positivity radiating from her but of course, he understood, she had to do that to give her own people hope...


	4. Chapter 4

Kori stared down at the map upon the table in the throne room where her family and Superman, Batman and Nightwing were all gathered. They had been talking about the three surprise attacks that had occurred the night before. The capital was their location and it had been one of the places hit with an unseen attack.

She felt a sudden jolt of sadness within her heart. Kori had yet to get over G'narah's death but if anything was taken from the loss, it was the fuel of anger she felt. She kept reminding herself that the young girl's death shouldn't go unnoticed. It would be something that remained prominent within her mind when she fought in the very last battle whenever it came.

"However, we were actually a minor hit. The West plains received the brunt of the surprise attacks." The King stated, gravely.

Koriand'r's eyes widened suddenly as realisation hit her, "No!" She paused and shook her head, "Father... Grandfather Galfore is the guard of that area and he has a limited number of men assisting him!"

The King stepped forward and placed a hand on Kori's shoulder, "I know, my daughter." He glanced between her and Ryand'r, "That is why I want you and your brother to go and help him with 100 men at your side."

Nightwing couldn't help but stand up straight at hearing that. His heart suddenly sped up at the thought of Kori going into a battle. He knew that she could look after herself and he had no doubt that she would successfully complete the task but knowing that he wouldn't see her or have any contact with her for the next couple of days caused him concern. However, the dark haired boy missed the suspicious glare that Batman shot his way.

Ryan and Kori nodded to their father signalling their acceptance of his request.

"You will set out in about an hour. Go and prepare yourselves with armour and as many weapons as you can carry. I want you both to return to me alive and well." Myand'r told them,

"We will not disappoint you, father." Ryan promised, bowing his head momentarily.

The two of them turned and left together. Nightwing watched Kori until she left the room, wishing that she didn't have to go. He knew that he'd be worrying about her for the whole time she was gone.

Batman narrowed his eyes at his protégé. There was something different about his behaviour. The dark knight was no idiot; he knew that Dick's change in behaviour had a connection to the Princess.

As they all departed from the throne room, Batman waited for Nightwing just outside the doors. Nightwing yawned as he wandered out of the room but halted as he noticed Batman standing before him with a stoic expression and his arms crossed over his chest.

Dick raised an eyebrow, "Everything okay?" He asked, slowly,

"I need to have a word with you about something." Bruce responded, somewhat coldly.

"Uh... Okay..." Nightwing replied, following Batman as he walked over to a small room.

Once they were inside the room, Nightwing lazily sat upon the table and crossed his legs. He held a sleepy expression but stared up at Batman, "So... What's this all about, Bruce?" He queried,

"I've noticed that you and the Princess have been getting along well..." Batman started,

Dick sat up and his expression brightened. He smiled faintly, "Yeah. She's not your typical princess... She's into fighting and weapons and-"

"Dick, you can't have feelings for Koriand'r."

He gulped, "Wh-What? I don't have feelings for her."

"C'mon, Dick. We know you better than that." Superman stated as he leaned against the door which he had opened moments beforehand.

"I don't." Dick glanced down at his feet, "Even if I did... Surely, it wouldn't be _that_ bad..."

"Actually... It'd be pretty unfortunate." Superman told him, resting a hand on the boy's shoulder, "She's the Princess of this world, Dick. You two are in completely different situations. It would be unheard of for a Princess to date a human."

Dick glared at his shoes as he was being told that he was forbidden from having feelings for Kori, something he was already failing at.

He stared off to the side, "Look, I can handle my own feelings. I won't let it get out of control, okay? I'll deal with it." Dick sighed,

Superman and Batman exchanged glances and slowly nodded to Nightwing who got to his feet and left the room quickly. He wanted to see Kori and Ryan before they left.

Nightwing ambled through the hallways of the palace. His heart was racing at the recognition of his feelings for Kori. He knew it was against the rules so to speak but he couldn't help how he felt about her. What made things worse was the fact that Batman and Superman were the ones to call him on it.

He had trouble even believing that these feelings were real. He had only known the Princess for a few days now but every time he was with her, he felt like he was floating. It was easy for him to be himself around her; it was like she could see his flaws and his strengths and still chose not to judge him.

Dick sighed as he approached the stables. He briefly frowned. He had a feeling that his promise of keeping his feelings under control was going to be broken.

Kori hummed a soft tune as she brushed her horse's mane. She smiled. J'elema had been Kori's horse since the day she was born. The beautiful creature was white and strong and she had a soft mane that Kori placed flowers within frequently. J'elema neighed and seemed to snuggle against Kori as she ran a hand against the animal's back, soothingly.

The Princess heard the door open and close which caught her attention. She glanced up and a soft smile crept upon her face. Nightwing wandered towards her with a lopsided grin across his own face.

She had become very fond of Nightwing. He was the closest thing she had ever had to a friend. Of course, Kori had always been surrounded by her people and her family but she had never had someone close to her who was impartial to the events going on in her world. Dick was able to give his honest opinions that weren't biased. Lately, every time that he would appear before her, she would fail in keeping a smile off of her face.

Kori was aware of these feelings for Dick and she was aware of the fact that they were seemingly growing stronger as the days passed. She found it a strange notion. She had never been in love with anyone before and she wasn't admitting that she loved Dick but she knew there was something deep within her that was whispering otherwise.

She shook the thoughts of him in any way other than platonic away.

"Richard! Greetings!" She beamed,

Dick focused on her perfect green eyes, "I just came to wish you both a safe journey." He told them, attempting to stay as professional as he could.

Ryan smiled at Nightwing and placed a strong hand on his shoulder, "Remain safe here, Nightwing. We don't want anyone dying whilst we are gone." He chuckled,

Dick smirked, "I'll do my best, Prince Ryand'r."

"Please, I believe just Ryan will suffice."

Nightwing nodded to him, understanding that there was an underlying trust already built between them. He and Kori watched Ryan as he mounted his horse and sat up straight; he appeared to be the perfect soldier in the way that he held himself.

"We should get going, Kori." Ryan suggested, tightening the sword that hung at his side.

Kori gave him a quick nod before he trotted just outside of the stables to ready the troops that were tagging along with them.

The Princess gently pulled her oversized hood over her head and her eyes met with Dick's. He couldn't help but notice her clothing today as well. She wore material on her top half that mirrored the 'bikini' style that he had seen her in on the first day that he had met her. She wore a long skirt that had a large slit up the side, revealing a large portion of her bare legs with the top tucked in slightly so it appeared rolled. Her feet were adorned with sturdy boots that matched the gauntlets that fit upon her arms closely. The last piece of her clothing was a purple cloak which fit around her and caused her to look similar to that of a sorceress; a beautiful one at that. Dick remembered Kori telling him on the first day that they had arrived that the desert often brewed sandstorms and overbearing winds and the only way to withstand such conditions was to equip oneself with a reflective cloak. He took joy in the fact that she was wearing more than she usually would. It gave him a sense of relief.

Kori flashed Dick a small smile and pulled herself up onto J'elema and secured herself upon the saddle. She looked down at Dick who boldly stepped closer to her and grabbed her hand.

Dick gulped but brushed her skin with his thumb. She looked slightly shocked but if she had a problem with it, she didn't make it known. Nightwing glanced up at her with a serious expression,

"Be safe, Kori." He murmured,

Koriand'r relaxed into an adorable smile and even went so far as to squeeze Dick's hand to reassure him. Her heart fluttered as if an overexcited butterfly had taken control of the organ. She couldn't believe how sweet he was; she could practically sense his concerns for her wellbeing of going out into battle with just her brother at her side.

"I shall remain safe, Richard..." She paused and smirked, "You know as well as anyone that I am not an amateur when it comes to battling."

Dick chuckled, "That I do, Kori."

Kori reluctantly released Nightwing's hand and gripped the reins. Ryan leaned in their direction and looked Kori in the eyes, "We must go, Kori." He told her.

Ryan transferred his attention to Dick, "We will return in a few days, my friend." He explained. The Prince turned and whipped the reins against his horse,

"Yah! Let's move!" He shouted to the troops and with that, he raced out into the open.

Whilst the soldiers shuffled and began to move forwards, Kori and Dick gazed at each other, almost mentally reassuring each other over the situation at hand.

She gave him a small nod and yelled out the same noise that Ryan had moments beforehand.  
Dick watched her ride away on her white horse until she was out of sight. He sighed. The young hero wasn't exactly sure what to do around the palace now that Kori was gone for a couple of days. His mood was beginning to spiral further and further downwards.

Ryan and Kori tugged on the reins around their horses to slow them down. They approached the stone castle that their grandfather had been protecting. As they rode closer to the base, Kori gasped at the sight of the once beautiful castle.

Burning flames engulfed the grounds of the castle and the tall walls had crumbled into nothing but dust. There was thick black smoke rising from the disastrous scene before the two of them. Kori pulled her cloak up so that her mouth and nose were protected from the overbearing amount of smoke that spread within the billowing wind.

Kori and Ryan stopped outside of the entrance into the derelict castle and jumped off of their horses. The Princess gently stroked her horse's neck and turned to follow her brother.

Ryan kept his hand firmly wrapped around the hilt of his sword in case he needed to unsheathe it in a quick motion. The royal siblings continued to slowly walk through the ruins of the castle, searching for any survivors. Kori held a sad expression as she glanced around at the deceased soldiers, lying motionless upon the ground.

Kori's senses perked up at the sound of rocks tumbling to the ground. It was a small sound but Kori caught it nonetheless. She immediately moved into a battle stance and untied her sword from around her waist. Kori paused and waited for the next movement.  
Suddenly, a large piece of rock slammed against the ground and revealed a dishevelled older man. He coughed and spluttered for a moment before he offered the two youngsters a brief smile.

Kori sighed in relief at the man who rose from the rubble. She softly smiled and placed her sword back at her side. She rushed over to the man and allowed him to lean on her,  
"Grandfather!" She breathed, handing him her bottle of water.

Galfore gulped down some of the water and used more to drench his face to relieve himself from the blistering heat.

"Do you feel better, Grandfather?" Ryan asked, releasing his grip on his sword.

The red bearded soldier nodded, "Much." He paused, "I apologize for causing such a fuss... Those soldiers from last night just appeared out of nowhere."

"It is okay, Galfore. None of the areas expected the surprise attacks. We too encountered losses." Kori sighed, looking at the ground as she thought about G'narah.

"Did you bring more men?" Galfore wondered,

Ryan nodded, "But they are currently scouting around the area."

"Be careful, young ones. I cannot guarantee that all of the soldiers of the Citadel were killed last-" Galfore was cut off as they heard footsteps approaching quickly.

The three of them turned around and narrowed their eyes at the small group of Citadel soldiers that stood before them. Galfore stood up on his own and grabbed his sword from the ground and held it out towards the soldiers.

Kori and Ryan shuffled so that they each stood by Galfore's side. They drew their weapons and prepared themselves for battle.

"I believe we can take them, young ones." Galfore stated,

Ryan shared a glance with his sister and they simultaneously grinned.

"Agreed!" Kori exclaimed.

The three members of the royal family prepared for battle. They gritted their teeth and held their weapons out in a menacing manner; they weren't going to be defeated today...


	5. Chapter 5

Nightwing sighed as he stooped closer to the ground to retrieve the wooden sword that he had just dropped. King Myand'r simply chuckled as the hero picked up the sword for the fourth time within that hour. Dick had felt truly honoured when Myand'r had approached him and asked to practice with him but Kori's absence was beginning to get to him.

It had been a week since Kori had rode away with her brother by her side and the thoughts concerning her wellbeing were starting to give him headaches. Dick wanted to know that she was okay; that she and Ryan had been able to help in defending the west. He just wanted to know if she was safe or not. She should have been back a couple of days ago and that is exactly why he had become worried.

Myand'r practically read his mind. The king tilted his head at the young human, "Something troubles you, Nightwing?" He asked,

Nightwing paused and bit his lip for a moment. He didn't know how to answer that question. For some reason, Dick didn't want to admit that he was worried about the Princess and the Prince.

He faked a smile and shook his head. Dick cleared his throat to reply, "No, nothing, King Myand'r; just trying to figure out how to win one of these sparring matches with you." He chuckled,

Myand'r grinned, "Ah, I have had a long life of combat practice, my boy however; your own skills are very advanced for someone as young as you."

Dick shrugged, "Thanks... Batman made me start training at a young age."

The King nodded to show that he was listening.

Suddenly, their attention pulled in the direction of the double doors that led into the room. Dick felt his heart soar at the sight before him.

Kori meekly stepped inside of the training room with a bright smile on her face. Dick felt his breath hitch in his throat. He was ecstatic to see her alive and well and all he wanted to do was run over to her and hug her but he understood that circumstances prevented him from doing that, especially with the King in the room.

The King grinned and dropped his sword. He threw his arms up and wandered closer to the Princess, "My daughter! You have returned unharmed, I see!" He chuckled, holding his daughter close for a second.

Koriand'r giggled and shook her head at her father, "Of course, father. Did you truly expect anything less of your children?" She countered,

"Of course not; So, I am right in guessing that your brother is alright as well then?"

"Yes and we have brought Grandfather Galfore back with us. He has seen the better days but he is alive."

Myand'r sighed in apparent relief before he leaned forward and kissed Kori's forehead, "A job well done, Koriand'r."

"We were successful in... removing the intruders from the West Plains, also father..."

"You and your brother never fail to make me proud. I shall go and see him and my father immediately. Tonight, we celebrate the success of my children! Aha!" Myand'r boomed, turning to nod at Nightwing as a sign of his leaving.

Nightwing returned the nod, happy to have time alone with Kori.

The King walked out of the room, buzzing with pride and joy at the result Kori had informed him of.

Kori softly smiled as she watched her father leave. Her gaze then shifted to focus on Nightwing who was staring at her like she might disappear in a matter of seconds.

"Richard..." She breathed; glad to know that he was safe while she had been gone,

Dick gulped and boldly strolled over to her. She opened her mouth to say something else but he cut her off. He immediately placed his arms around her and held her close to him.

Kori blinked out of a surprise initially but she relaxed within his arms and hugged him back.

"I'm glad you're safe, Kori." He whispered, through her hair.

The Princess blushed and nodded against his shoulder, "I am also glad that you are unharmed, Richard." She responded, quietly.

Dick sighed contently but it suddenly occurred to him that he was hugging her. He cleared his throat and stepped back from her. He rubbed the back of his neck and blushed,

"Uh... Sorry, Kori... I didn't... I just-" He stammered,

Kori giggled and tilted her head at him, "Do not be silly, Richard. You are my friend. You are more than welcome to hug me... It was a nice thing to come home to so, thank you." She returned, brushing some of her hair behind her ear.

Nightwing offered her a lopsided grin and relaxed a little more.

"In truth, it feels _wonderful_ to be home..." Kori admitted,

"So, you really aren't hurt, right?" Dick paused, "No cuts, no bruises?"

Kori smirked, "None. You may check if you do not believe me," She twirled around quickly, causing Nightwing's blush to deepen.

He grinned however, "It's okay, Kori... I believe you."

The Princess giggled but bit her lip, "I should go... I must get changed. It is horrible to remain within the clothing that you have battled in, I must admit."

Dick chuckled, "I should go and wash up too. Sparring with your father was no easy task!"

Kori raised an eyebrow at him, "Ah, who do you believe it was that educated me in the art of combat?"

Nightwing shrugged in defeat at her statement, deciding that she had a valid point.  
"However... I love the aftermath of being victorious in battle. The festive celebrations are most fun! It gives me the excuse to do the dressing up." Kori babbled, clapping her hands delicately.

The hero couldn't help but smile. Whenever he was around her, he couldn't help but feel happy and positive; she was very good at bringing that out in people. Kori bid him goodbye for a little while and left the room swiftly.  
Dick sighed. He felt terrible because his abilities to handle his feelings for the Princess were failing miserably yet, he also felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders. He had literally almost passed out when his eyes had fell upon Kori standing in the doorway. He was so relieved that she had made it back safely...


	6. Chapter 6

Dick cleared his throat and gently tugged on his black tie so that it sat perfectly. He was wearing a red dress shirt beneath a black blazer that matched his pants and tie. He would never usually dress formally at his own freewill but the kingdom was throwing a grand feast and party at the success and return of Ryan and Kori.

He felt exposed considering he was without his hero attire and more importantly because he had resisted the urge to wear his mask. Batman, Superman and Dick had all sat down and talked about not wearing masks. They decided that the Tamaranians were friends; not foes, so they could be trusted.

Dick sighed as he watched the people of Tamaran enjoying the festivities. Although he had agreed to attend the celebrations, he was hardly a fan of parties of any sort.  
He glanced at the large double staircase and had to do a double take as he eyed Kori for a brief moment. His mind was torn between gaping at her and smiling. She looked absolutely stunning.

The Princess was dressed in a white strapless shirt that cut off just below her breasts meaning that they were the only part of her top half that was covered. Her bare stomach was on show and her long; mesh white skirt had two slits up each side, revealing both of her long legs when she moved. She wore silver bangles on her wrists and ankles with a silver armband on her upper right arm. Kori had told him before how the band represented respect for the fallen soldiers of war. She wore a delicate silver necklace around her neck to finish off her white and silver appearance. Her hair had been curled ever so slightly and it had been pinned to one side and spilled over her shoulder. She completed her hairstyle with the placement of her tiara, signifying her Royal status.

Dick closed his mouth and stood up straight as she looked over at him and smiled softly. Kori continued to move down the stairs carefully whilst also greeting the people on her way down.

After what seemed like an eternity, Kori stood before him and he almost forgot to breathe.

"Good evening, Richard," Kori greeted in her angelic voice,

Dick grinned down at her, "Hey Kori... You look... I mean... You... I..." He took a breath, "You look beautiful."

Kori blushed but smiled bashfully at him, "Thank you. You also look very handsome."

He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Kori bit her lip and stepped closer to him, causing Dick's heart to beat quicker. She stared at him and her eyes glimmered in the light, "I have not seen you without your mask before..." She stated.

Again, Dick nervously rubbed his neck but offered her a smile, "Yeah... Bruce assured me that I can trust your people with the whole identities thing." He explained,

Kori nodded, "Of course... However, I believe you already trusted me with that, yes?"

Dick took a moment and stared into her emerald eyes, "I trust you more than anyone here, Kori." He told her, honestly.

She gently pushed a piece of auburn hair behind her ear and smiled timidly. Kori focused her eyes on his blue orbs.

"Blue... It was certainly the pleasant surprise... I had the feeling that your eyes would be blue, you know..." Kori said in a hushed voice as she inched closer towards him.

Dick gulped. He was acutely aware that they were both leaning towards each other and he really wanted to kiss her, "Oh really?" He whispered,

"Mhm..." Kori murmured.

Kori was now so close to him that Dick could actually smell her beautiful strawberry scent. It was intoxicatingly overpowering. He felt dizzy and all he could think of was Kori; this stunning princess before him who wanted to kiss him.

For the brief moment, Dick threw caution to the window and decided that this was supposed to happen, despite the warning Superman and Batman had given him.

Suddenly, the King's voice boomed through a microphone which tore them away from each other. Dick couldn't focus on a single thing that the King was saying. He had got caught up in the moment with Kori and he couldn't help but feel slightly relieved that it hadn't continued. It wasn't that he didn't have feelings for Kori; god did he want to call her his but he knew their differences. Dick knew that a relationship between Royal blood and a commoner was practically forbidden.

He took comfort in the fact that Kori had wanted to kiss him however; at least that was something that he could hold onto.

Kori on the other hand, was excitable and fidgety at what had almost happened between her and Dick. She had feelings for him and there was no changing that but knowing that he had been ready to reciprocate a kiss was amazing news. She was ecstatic at the idea of having something _more_ with the man beside her.

She shook her head and tuned into what her father was saying.

"We celebrate this evening on account of the victory of my children in the West Plains. I owe them very much for guaranteeing the safety of my father. Ryand'r! Koriand'r! We drink to you both. Come up and share a dance as siblings, will you!" Myand'r cheered, earning a loud wave of applause from the crowds of people.

Kori inwardly sighed. She didn't mind sharing a dance with Ryan but she really wanted to get back to Dick to discuss their almost actions. She watched with a smirk as Ryan wandered over to her and performed an odd kind of bow towards her. Kori giggled and shook her head at her brother. Ryan joined in with her and chuckled. He gently took his sister's hand and led her onto the dance floor. An increasingly upbeat song began to play and the two of them started sliding across the floor and spinning around every now and then.

When moments like this came around, both Ryan and Kori took the time to enjoy it. When they were free to dance like children, they jumped at the chance. It was the only time that they had no responsibilities and could act however they wanted.

As the song ended, the two of them nodded to each other as a sign of 'thank you'.  
Dick gulped and walked over to the Prince and Princess. Ryan offered Dick a wide smile and slapped a hand down on his shoulder.

"Dick!" He exclaimed cheerfully,

The unmasked hero chuckled and patted Ryan's hand, "Hey, Ryan. I was wondering... Would you mind if I stole your sister away from you for a dance?"

"Be my guest, friend. She kept stepping on my feet anyway." Ryan muttered, earning a light punch in the arm from his sister.

Ryan wandered off and left Kori and Dick together. Kori awkwardly shuffled on the spot, not knowing how to act around Dick after their near kiss.

Dick took the initiative and took her hand in his and placed his other hand on her waist, gently. He mentally cheered at the slow choice of song considering he could never dance with her this way during a fast song.

They locked eyes with one another and green began to meld and fuse with blue. Kori felt her heart flutter as she stared at him.

Dick sighed, "Kori... About earlier... I think it's only right to tell you something..."

She blinked, "What is it?"

He shakily inhaled a deep breath, "I... I really think that I'm... Uh... I'm pretty sure that I'm falling in love with you, Kori..."

Kori physically froze for a moment but only to process the amazing news that he had just told her. Her heart was beating so fast that she was honestly afraid of it bursting out of her chest. She almost didn't hear him as he continued to speak,

"And... I know I shouldn't because you're a princess and... I can't seem to push away these feelings for you and I know you couldn't possibly feel the same way and I-"

"But I do."

"Wh-What?"

"I do feel the same way about you, Richard... While I have nothing to compare to on the subject of love... I understand how to recognise it. I feel so happy when I am with you..."

"It seems crazy because we've only known each other for a short time..."

Kori giggled, "And yet... It is real..."

Dick's trace of a smile suddenly vanished and was replaced with a frown,

"Something is wrong?" Kori queried, feeling a pang of concern at his change of expression.

He sighed, "It's just the fact that nothing can happen between us..."

Kori pushed herself away from him a little whilst keeping her hands pressed against his chest, "Why can nothing happen between us?" She questioned,

Dick raised an eyebrow at her as if questioning her logic, "Because Kori... You're a princess... I'm just a human and nothing even close to royalty."

The Princess narrowed her jade eyes at him, "So? I do not care. I would not care if you were... Homeless and poor. If I have feelings for you, then I have feelings for you. It is as simple as that."

"It's not that simple Kori. It's great that you don't care and I'm so happy that we feel the same way about each other but I'm pretty sure there is a line of people who would have a problem with us being together. You have way too many duties as a Princess. It could never work. Surely, you understand that."

Kori shook her head and her expression gained a hard edge to it. She roughly pushed away from him and pulled out of his gentle hold with ease.

"I do not understand that! You clearly do not have as strong feelings for me as you thought!" She practically hissed,

"What? Of course I do, Kori-"

She shook her head furiously at him, "If you did then you would stop anyone and anything that attempted to interfere..."

"Kori-"

The Princess glanced down at the floor with tears in her eyes. She quietly murmured, "I need to be alone," and quickly darted out of the hall.

Dick watched her run from the room and raked a hand through his hair. He had handled that terribly. He felt an awful sharp shoot of guilt within as he considered how he had caused her to cry. Dick never wanted to be the reason for any tears shed by Kori.

He sighed and trudged out onto the large balcony that overlooked the blank fields that stretched across the distance. Dick quietly growled and slammed his first down against the stone railing. Anger swelled inside of him. He wanted nothing more than to be with Kori but Batman and Superman had warned him of the problems that may arise from a blossoming relationship between the two of them. It was the typical problem of head against heart which Dick loathed. His head was telling him the logical thing to do which was to dismiss the feelings and keep everything neutral and professional. However, his heart was screaming at him to go and get Kori and to make sure that he never let go of her.

Dick was unaware of his presence but Ryan sighed and lingered in the archway for a moment longer as he watched his distressed friend.

Ryan sighed louder as he wandered over to Dick and threw the remainder of drink within his glass over the side of the balcony. He made a clear sound of distaste.

"I never like the wine that my father imports from the other side of Tamaran." He paused and placed his glass down, "Much too sweet for my liking."

Dick offered him a ghost of a smile,

Ryan sighed, "Look... Nightwing or Dick?"

"Either. I trust you with my identity, Ryan."

Ryan nodded, "Look, Dick... My sister has never had feelings for anyone before... I have never seen her as happy as when she is with you or even when she merely speaks about you."

"H-How did y-you-"

"Kori and I are very close. We tell each other practically everything."

Dick sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, "I can't... I've already been advised by Batman and Superman not to have involvement with Kori in _that_ way. She-"

Ryan rolled his eyes, "Is of Royal blood and you are not so, it would be highly frowned upon and blah blah blah." He paused momentarily, "You will _never_ be able to please everyone, Dick. You only live one life, my friend. I advise you to spend that life with things that make you happy. Tell me, does my sister make you happy, Dick?"

Dick smiled shyly as he immediately envisioned her, "Ecstatic..." He whispered,

Ryan favoured him with a small smile, "You know, there is another way of being with my sister without any concerns."

"Oh? How?"

"Simply be discreet and do not let anyone know."

"You mean lie?"

"Think of it more as... withholding the truth from everyone."

"Ryan..."

"You do not wish to give her up so easily. You will regret it. Just because you are of different status' does not lessen your affection for each other. Believe me... I know what it is like to discard a chance at such a thing." Ryan murmured as he stared off into the distance.

Dick stared at him for a moment before meekly asking, "... What happened?"

Ryan sighed heavily, "It was 3 years ago and yet... It is still painful to think about. I was 15 years of age and I was very much in love with a young girl named Cer'essi. Believe me... I had never had such strong feelings for anyone before. We had practically grown up together but of course... I was a prince and she was a lady in waiting of Kori's. A public relationship between a prince and a basic servant girl would have been unheard of. I pushed her away, hoping that my feelings would disappear but war was beginning to break out and after one of the early battles... A lot of the kingdom's servants and workers had been lost..."

"No..."

"I found out a week after the battle that Cer'essi was taken from the palace and she was murdered. That is when Kori and I became a lot closer... She understood the pain due to being a close friend of Cer'essi and I understood the pain due to loving her so dearly."

"I'm sorry, Ryan..."

"Do you see my point, Dick? Please... I beg you do not make the same mistake that I did... You will lose a lot more than you think if you do not even attempt a relationship with my sister... This is your choice. You can either go back inside and I will understand that it is your way of dismissing your feelings for the princess or you can carry on walking outside until you find her."

Dick took a moment to consider everything that Ryan had said to him. He stared at the Prince and offered him a small determined smile. He rested a hand on Ryan's shoulder and nodded to him before he walked off to try and find Kori.

Kori sniffled and focused her eyes on the fenorbla flies that were floating through the air, lighting the night sky up. She had so many mixed emotions rolling around inside of her. She was angry that Dick cared about what other people thought but in reflection of this, she felt guilty that she had been so biased and not looked at the situation from his point of view. Of course she would wonder why he cared; he would be the one to get into trouble if they were more than friends whereas she would probably just be told not to be reckless and that would be the end of it. She closed her eyes tightly at the mere thought of what they may do to Dick however; Kori felt unsure of such a fate. The people had always talked about how harsh Royal punishments were but Kori had never once seen a cruel act. She couldn't help but question the truth behind it which also caused her wishful thinking and wanting to push a relationship with Dick. She was slightly curious as to what would happen.

She felt sad and confused about how she had left things with Dick. She had practically dismissed him but she couldn't help it; she needed to get away from him due to her bubbling emotions. She felt confused because she wasn't sure how deep Dick's feelings ran for her when she knew her own for him were very real.

Kori heard someone behind her clear their throat. She turned her head towards the source of the sound and held her breath. She glanced at Dick for a brief moment before turning back towards the show of fenorbla flies.

"I understood you the first time you explained, Richard..." She sighed,

"About that... I realised something..." He responded, stepping closer to her.

Kori felt a tear fall down her cheek as she thought he was going to explain further reasoning on why they couldn't be together.

"What?" She asked,

"I was completely wrong about what I said." He admitted, hoping that would make her turn around and face him.

Kori paused and wiped her eyes with her slender fingers. Slowly, she turned around to face Dick with a confused expression, believing that she had heard him incorrectly,

"I do not understand..." She whispered. Dick smiled softly and closed the distance between them, taking her soft hands in his.

"I talked to your brother and he told me about Cer'essi... It made me realise that I shouldn't push away my feelings for you because... I have no idea how long I have with you..." He told her in a hushed tone,

Kori quirked a small smile, "Truly?"

Dick nodded and mirrored her smile, "But... I do have one request and that is to keep us a secret... I want us to be together more than you know but... We have to try and keep it a secret, okay?"

Kori gave him a short nod, "I understand, Richard. Of course... I am so happy that you reconsidered..." She said, leaning towards him,

Dick kept his eyes on hers and stroked her cheek before he brushed some of her hair out of her face, "How could I _not_ want to be with you?" He paused, "You're amazing, Kor."

The Princess blinked a few times to test how real this all was. She allowed a grin to spread across her face as Dick leaned his forehead against hers. He gently tilted her head up more and softly pressed his lips against hers. They both closed their eyes and became immersed within the bliss that accompanied their first kiss. Dick had felt guilty with his decision of wanting more with the Princess but now in the moment, he couldn't think of anything better. He couldn't care less if Batman and Superman found out. Knowing that she was his for the time being made him question why he hadn't said anything sooner.

As they separated from one another, smirks appeared on their faces. Kori gently ran her fingertips against Dick's jaw line, "I truly think that things will be alright, Richard." She stated, earning a small nod from the unmasked hero before her.

From afar, Ryan smiled at the sight of the two of them, "I am happy for you, sister." He whispered into the night. He hoped for her sake that this went according to plan of staying secret...


	7. Chapter 7

A couple of days passed by and Dick and Kori's relationship was blossoming nicely. The two of them would take strolls together in the evening and they would watch the swarms of fenorbla flies twirl through the night sky. They talked about Kori's life on Tamaran and also of Dick's life on Earth. Kori had expressed to Dick about how she really felt about being a Princess. She told him how she felt isolated a lot even with Ryan there with her. She also explained how she was glad that he had come to Tamaran to help them with the war at hand.

As the days went by, Dick found himself missing Kori immensely when he wasn't with her. She was his first thought when he woke up and his last thought before he went to sleep at night. When they were able to, they would sneak into each other's rooms and talk into the early hours of the following day and enjoy their close moments together.

Kori found it incredible how close they had become in the few weeks after meeting each other and how comfortable she felt when she was around him.

She thought of the blissful days as she watched Dick and Ryan practicing their combat skills with one another. Kori took comfort in knowing that she was allowed to call Dick by his name when they were together even when he was wearing his signature domino mask. In some way, Kori felt closer to him when she called him by his name. She smiled as she noticed he had gained the upper hand on Ryan in battle techniques.

Dick felt slightly under pressure whilst he practiced with Ryan. He felt the need to win not only because he had previously lost against the King and Kori, but because Kori was watching and the stereotypical male part of him wanted to show her that he was capable of victory.

He couldn't help but stare at her out of the corner of his eye whenever he had the chance. She was so captivatingly beautiful; it was hard not to look at her. Over the past couple of days, he had never been so thankful for having the permission to kiss her whenever he wanted. Dick focused his attention on Ryan who was currently blocking his jabs with ease. The masked hero sucked in a breath and spun around, bringing his wooden sword around with him so that it knocked Ryan's out of his hand. The wooden sword clattered on the ground and left Ryan defenceless. Dick decided to test his luck and swiftly jumped forward, aiming his own sword at Ryan. The Prince wobbled and fell on his behind with a thud.

Ryan smirked up at Dick and chuckled, "Very good, my friend. You learn quickly."

Dick extended a hand down towards him, "You aren't hurt, are you?"

"Of course not... It takes a lot to break me, Nightwing." Ryan laughed. Dick noticed the use of name depending on whether or not he was wearing the mask. He was glad that he also had Ryan as a friend here. It was nice to be able to trust both him and Kori.

Ryan grabbed Dick's outstretched hand and was hauled up onto his feet. Both of the boys turned their head as they heard girlish giggling accompanied with light clapping. Kori sauntered over to them with a bright smile across her face.

"Very good, Richard!" Kori praised, hugging him closely as she reached him. He instantly returned the affectionate embrace and kissed the top of her head.

Kori rested her hands on his chest and floated a few inches off of the ground so that she was eye level with him. She touched his nose with her own, signalling to him that she wanted a kiss. Dick chuckled and gladly obliged her, attaching his lips to hers. Kori ran her fingers through his mess of ebony hair and felt Dick's hands upon her waist.

A sudden and forced cough caused the two to separate. Ryan made an expression with his tongue poking out as if he were disgusted with them. Kori laughed as she perched back upon the ground. Dick just smirked and kept his arm around Kori's waist.

"Bleugh! I approve more than anyone about your relationship but please! I believe the Earth expression is to get a room!" Ryan complained, earning small sounds of laughter from both Dick and Kori.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of the heavy doors opening. Kori gently pushed away from Dick and straightened her clothes out, putting enough space between them so that nothing could so much as be suggested. For a moment, Dick felt a pang of sadness at the sudden disconnection but he knew that it was necessary in front of other people.

Ryan shifted his expression into a serious one and he stared at the guard as he marched into the room.

"Is everything alright?" Ryan asked, in an authoritive voice,

The guard bowed slightly before the two royal members within the room. He swallowed an apparent lump in his throat and stood up straight. He stared back at Ryan, "My Prince... Your father asks for you, Princess Koriand'r and Ser Nightwing to go to the throne room." The guard explained,

Kori slowly stepped forward and appeared before the guard, "Is something wrong?" She interrogated, quietly,

"No, Princess. We have a guest in the palace today." He returned, giving her the briefest of smiles,

Kori suddenly felt wary of going to the throne room. For some reason, she had a gut feeling that was urging her not to follow the guard. Ryan must have had the same thoughts as her as they both exchanged worried glances simultaneously.

Dick on the other hand was completely clueless as to why they were being hesitant. He made a mental note to ask Kori about it later.

"We should leave, your highnesses" The guard suggested, turning to the side as he prepared to lead the way.

Kori fought hard not to turn and look at Dick. She had an uneasy feeling that she and/or Ryan were solely involved in whatever this _guest_ was here for. The atmosphere in the air around them seemed negative and full of doubt for a positive outcome with the apparently welcomed stranger.

The guard dutifully accompanied the three of them as they silently wandered through the long corridors. No one really had anything to say. Ryan and Kori didn't dare mention any possible reasons for why their guest was here in fear of their theories becoming reality. Nightwing on the other hand was confused on why they seemed so worried.

After what seemed like an eternity, the small group arrived before the large double doors that led into the throne room. As the guard pushed them open, Kori stepped in behind Ryan with Nightwing following closely behind her. She watched him as he joined Batman and Superman who were idly standing to the right hand side of the room. For some reason, Kori felt sudden discomfort in him not being at her side.

The Princess sighed and continued walking until she and Ryan reached their mother and father at the opposite end of the room. They waited patiently for their children but stood up from their red velvet thrones as Ryan and Kori stepped up onto the stage like area.

Nightwing cleared his throat and put his hands behind his back as he made himself look more serious. Batman glanced at his original protégé with his lips set in a thin line.

"I hope you weren't doing anything that you're not supposed to." He stated flatly.

Dick rolled his eyes behind his mask, "I'm not a kid, Bruce." He whispered, "But no, I was practicing with Ryand'r. Koriand'r was just there to pass the time."

Batman seemed satisfied with the explanation and dropped the subject.

Kori felt her heart beat faster. She swallowed a lump in her throat and subtly wiped her sweaty hands on her fabricated skirt. Kori stood up straight and clasped her hands in front of her.

The King inhaled deeply before speaking and Kori noticed that his expression was somewhat grave. She even tried to communicate with him through changing her own facial expression. He gave nothing away.

"Ah... My children... You are here." Myand'r acknowledged.

"Please father... Who is our guest?" Ryan queried, tired of the suspense.

Kori turned her head to look at her mother who had an expression of utter sadness on her face. She gently touched her mother's hand, "Mother... Are you alright?" She asked, softly.

Luand'r glanced up at her daughter briefly but looked away just as quickly.

Kori felt her heart drop. Both of her parents were acting strange and she knew that something was clearly wrong. Fear coursed through her.

"Ryand'r... Koriand'r..." Myand'r sighed, "This is Prince Da'akaar from the planet Solutri."

A tall figure emerged from the shadows behind the King and Queen. He had light coloured skin and dark blue hair that was shaggy and somewhat messy. He wore a sophisticated outfit that practically screamed his royal status. The huge grin on his face made Kori gulp and it put her on edge.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both. Prince Ryand'r. Princess Koriand'r..." He breathed stepping closer to Kori.

His eyes lingered on her and she fought not recoil in uneasiness.

It was Nightwing's turn to feel edgy about the _guest_. Of course, Dick couldn't react how he wanted to. He _wanted_ to throw the guy through the nearest window for even staring at her like that but he couldn't which perplexed him immensely.

Prince Da'akaar invaded Kori's personal space once more and reached down to take one of her hands in his. She gasped at the sudden contact and was almost angry that the people around her were not stopping the stranger from touching her.

"My, my Princess... I have heard much about your beauty but you are truly even more breathtaking in the flesh." He complimented,

Kori felt a twitch in her left hand as her fingers brushed against her covered sword. She momentarily wanted to kill the man in front of her purely based on his creepy nature.

Dick gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He knew that they had only been together for a couple of days but he had felt protective of Kori since the day they had met and this _Prince_ was beginning to irritate him.

The King cleared his throat and Prince Da'akaar released Kori's hand but the strange grin remained upon his face,

"Prince Da'akaar has access to an army of roughly 20,000 men..." Myand'r continued,

Ryan smiled at his father, "That would help us immensely father, would it not?"

"Yes, Ry... It would... He has agreed to an alliance with Tamaran... Under one condition..." He quietly replied.

Myand'r's eyes fell upon Kori who felt her eyes sting as tears threatened to fall. She stared past her father's head and felt lost.

"What is the condition, father?" She croaked,

"He wishes to take your hand in marriage, Koriand'r..." Myand'r said just above a whisper,

Kori blinked and felt a tear roll down her cheek, "Wh-What?" Kori stuttered, not wanting to believe it.

She could hear her heart beating in her ears and she felt the blood drain from her face. She felt sick and suddenly lightheaded and dizzy. Kori almost didn't hear the prince speak.

"You would be treated well, Princess..." Prince Da'akaar tried to persuade her.

Kori could feel herself breathing unevenly. Her eyes darted around the room at her family who all held distraught expressions. Then, Kori glanced at Dick and could feel the hostility rolling off of him. She was well aware that he was angry with the situation that had just presented itself.

She had never felt more isolated.

She stammered a couple of words but she felt her eyes flickering and the sight before her washed away. Her world was shattering before her very eyes and before she could even try to do anything about it; she blacked out.

Kori was acutely aware of faint voices from the people around her. She knew it was Ryan sitting behind her, supporting her head to make sure there were no injuries. She decided that sooner or later, she would have to open her eyes and give Prince Da'akaar an answer to his proposal. So, with a heavy heart, Kori slowly opened her eyes to glance at those around her. Her father, mother and brother were around her with Prince Da'akaar not too far away.

"Are you alright, sister?" Ryan asked, softly.

Kori groaned as she started to sit up. She gave Ryan the smallest of nods and scanned the room. She felt her heart drop as Dick was nowhere to be seen although Superman and Batman remained within the room.

She assumed that their blossoming relationship was completely over now. She understood if Dick didn't want to speak to her or be with her anymore; he was hesitant about them being together in the first place. She had got his hopes up for a future with her but now, that had been snatched away from both of them.

Prince Da'akaar conveniently appeared beside Kori and gently stroked her cheek. She literally felt repulsed each time that he touched her; even briefly. She stared at him with the dullest eyes,

"My Princess... Are you alright? You gave me quite a scare," Prince Da'akaar told her, holding out a hand to her.

Kori gently took the Prince's hand but was propped up by Ryan who pushed her firmly onto her feet. She didn't want to be in that room. She didn't want to marry the creepy Prince; she wanted to run and jump off of the nearest cliff at that moment.

The Princess was acutely aware that she still had to give the Prince an answer to his earlier proposal.

She inhaled deeply, "I am... Apologies, Prince Da'akaar. I was merely shocked by your... kind... proposal..." She practically whispered,

The Prince offered her the familiar grin and cocked his head to the side, "So... May I ask for your answer, Princess?" He repeated his earlier question,

Kori slowly closed her eyes as she considered her life in a matter of seconds. She didn't even need to look at Ryan; she knew that he was completely against arranged marriages. She thought about her mother and father; she knew they didn't want this to happen but their hands were tied. Kori also thought of her planet; as a princess, it was her duty to do everything to protect her planet and ensuring the help of the army of Solutri would help them to even maybe win the entire war.

Lastly, Kori thought of Dick. She had allowed herself to fall for him and her heart was slowly but surely becoming his and she was powerless to stop it. Kori knew that Dick had left the room due to being unable to handle the situation but she doubted that he would initially understand anyway. She was distraught. The Princess wanted to be with the masked hero from Earth but she knew her place and her duty.

Kori opened her eyes and they glistened with unshed tears, "Yes..." She paused and inhaled a deep breath, "I will marry you... My Prince,"

Prince Da'akaar grinned like the Cheshire cat and nodded. He gently grasped her hand and pressed his lips against it, softly.

"I promise to make you very happy indeed, Princess..." He vowed, bowing his head out of respect.

Ryan swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched his sister promise her life away to the stranger. He noticed as she bowed her head that a small tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek...


	8. Chapter 8

That night, Kori sadly wandered through the gardens. She brushed her fingers against the red and white roses that poked out of the bushes and sighed. Usually, she would hang around in the gardens to regain some form of peace but at that moment, she was only contributing to wallowing in her own self pity.

Kori watched the fenorbla flies as they fluttered around in the night sky and she frowned. Even the beautiful little creatures couldn't bring her mood up.

She didn't want to marry Prince Da'akaar in the slightest. There was nothing about him that seemed remotely attractive. He was not very handsome and his personality definitely didn't match well with hers. He seemed like the type of person to be all about himself whereas Kori was very much about helping others.

Kori pulled a red rose loose and sniffed it briefly. She ambled over to a stone bench and perched upon it. The Princess sighed heavily as she ran her slender fingers over the soft rose petals. She hated the current situation that she faced.

Dick hadn't spoken to her since her inevitable engagement to Prince Da'akaar. He hadn't even come to find her. She understood that he was angry but she wished that he also understood that she didn't have a lot of choice in the matter. She had an obligation to her family and her people.

Of course Kori was furious about it but she couldn't do anything to change it either. Any form of attempt would be in vain.

Kori shivered as a light breeze picked up and ruffled her long auburn hair. The quick gust of wind caused her to look to the side. She noticed Prince Da'akaar strolling towards her. She quietly groaned but got to her feet and clasped her hands in front of her form.

As he approached, she curtsied to her fiancé out of respect, "My Prince..." She greeted, standing up straight once more.

Prince Da'akaar nodded to her and his signature grin returned upon his face, "My Princess... How are you?" He asked,

"I am wonderful," Kori lied,

"Is there any particular reason why you are out here?"

"I... This is my favourite place in the kingdom and... I felt hot... I needed the fresh air."

The Prince nodded as if saying that he understood her reasons,

"So... What are your thoughts?"

"On... Our engagement?"

"No, what are your thoughts on the war?" He paused and glanced directly at her, "Do you think Tamaran can win with my planet's help?"

"Oh... I... I am hopeful for such an outcome but I am unsure..."

The Prince briefly frowned, "You doubt Solturi's abilities."

Kori gulped and shook her head, "N-No. Forgive me if I offended you, my Prince. I merely mean... This war sometimes seems quite unpredictable."

"Mm... Well, I am going to retire to my chambers, my Princess..." He flashed her a quick smile, "Goodnight,"

Kori nodded her head to him, "Goodnight, my Prince..."

Prince Da'akaar stood up from the stone bench and marched away from the gardens with a discreet smirk upon his face, unbeknown to Kori.

The Princess sighed shakily and allowed her shoulders to slump in a very unladylike manner. She used the back of her sleeve to wipe her eyes. Since the moment she agreed to marry Prince Da'akaar, all she had done was cry. Kori had become so depressed about the whole situation and all she wanted to do was run away from it all.

Kori sighed heavily and slowly moved across the gardens so that she stood upon the small crossing bridge. She rested her hands on the stone barriers which prevented anyone from falling into the beautiful river that ran beneath it.

She heard a number of footsteps suddenly and tensed up. She had begun to distrust those around her. Someone must have known about Prince Da'akaar's intentions and yet nobody, not even her own parents, found her beforehand to warn her.

The Princess immediately relaxed as she witnessed Ryan rest his hands on the stone barrier too. He and Dick were the only people that would have told her if they had known; that she was certain of.

"I am so sorry, Kori..." He whispered, turning his head to look at his distraught sister,

Kori shook her head as a tear fell from her eye and rolled down her soft cheek,

"How... How are you feeling?" Ryan wondered, not sure of what was acceptable for him to ask,

Koriand'r's mask suddenly cracked and she choked out a sob. She pushed her hands against the rough stone of the barrier and glanced at Ryan. Tears freely fell from eyes, causing them to become puffy. She sniffled and tried to compose herself without success.

"How do you think I am feeling, Ryan!? I am being forced into a marriage with a prince I have no knowledge of other than that of his name! He is not caring or warm and I feel sick when I am around him! And the person who I genuinely have feelings for has not spoken to me since this morning! I could not even locate him..." She paused and sighed, "He must hate me..."

Ryan placed a gentle hand upon Kori's shoulder, "Kori..." He breathed, desperately trying to think of an answer to her problems.

Kori turned to him and suddenly clung to him, crying as much as her body would allow, "Ryan... I do not wish to marry him..." She croaked,

The Prince stroked his sister's hair and held her close, providing her the comfort and support that she needed so much.

"He is but a stranger..."

"I know, sister..."

"I love mother and father but how long must we be pawns for them to use at any given moment?"

"I wish I knew the answer..."

Kori sighed and stepped back from her brother. She brought her sleeve up to her face and wiped her eyes and face so she looked presentable once more.

"You should talk with Nightwing..." Ryan suggested,

The Princess gave into a sarcastic laugh, "Oh yes... I am sure that he is simply dying to speak with me." She shook her head and glanced off into the distance, "He was unsure about beginning a relationship with me in the first place... And I proved his concerns right..."

"Perhaps, he just needed time to calm himself... It was a shock for everyone except for the few who were involved with it." Ryan guessed,

Kori had a dull, misty glaze to her eyes as she whispered, "Perhaps..."

Ryan sighed but focused on his own agenda, "I must go, sister... I have to speak to father about war matters... You should join us."

Kori hugged herself and closed her eyes, irritated by the mere mention of _war_ , "No thank you... The war is the last thing that I wish to think about."

Ryan nodded and silently left her, knowing that he couldn't say anything that would change her predicament.

After a couple of minutes of just listening to the light rustling of the foliage on account of the gentle breeze, Kori exhaled noisily and decided to head back to her room for the night. She was tired from all the crying and was eager to sleep so that she could forget about life, even if it was just for a little while.

She carefully stepped off of the small bridge and slowly walked through the gardens, brushing her fingers against the tips of the gorgeous flowers. She briefly glanced upwards and froze. Dick stood approximately 3 metres away from her and she had no idea how to react. In reality, she wanted to run to him and have him welcome her with open arms but she doubted that scenario would happen.

Instead, the two of them merely stared at each other for a moment or so before Kori sighed. She didn't see the point in trying to reason with him about the situation at hand and she was too tired to argue about how it wasn't her fault. However, guilt was hitting Kori in sudden waves.

She groaned and turned to the right, picking up pace as she walked in the other direction; away from Dick.

Dick's eyes widened and he instantly chased after her, "Kori, wait!" He exclaimed,

Kori stopped and gradually turned back around to face him, not completely meeting his gaze this time.

Nightwing stepped closer to her so that he stood just in front of her. He softly placed his hands on her shoulders and allowed them to slide down her arms and take her hands in his own. It was his personal display of affection as well as a comforting gesture.

"I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to act difficult... I just couldn't stay in there and act like everything was fine when... It wasn't." He explained,

Kori took one step and leaned against his chest. She felt a slight soar of happiness as she felt Dick kiss her head.

"I am sorry... I wish to be yours completely but... I have so many duties and demands that must be met... But... I never thought I would have to marry someone for an alliance..." She paused to take a breath, "I feel so used... I am sorry, Richard... I just... I am sorry..."

Dick smiled and hooked his index finger beneath her chin to make her look at him, "Hey, stop staying sorry... I don't think either of us could have prevented this."

He leaned down a little and placed a soft kiss upon her lips. Kori relaxed immensely, knowing that it wasn't _her_ that he was angry at.

"I do not wish for things to end between us." Kori stated after they separated,

"How can we continue when you're engaged?" Dick replied,

"Well... We were being discreet anyway... We must simply be more discreet." She proposed,

Dick smirked and held her around the waist, "Are you willing to be unfaithful to your fiancé, Princess?" He asked, half jokingly,

Kori wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "A thousand times over if it means I can carry on being with you, Richard." She whispered,

Dick leaned his forehead against hers, "But... Will you have to kiss him and stuff?" He queried, anxiously,

Kori giggled and shook her head, "One of the positive things from this _deal_ is that Prince Da'akaar is forbidden from kissing me, touching me inappropriately or having intercourse with me until our wedding day which I imagine my father will attempt to postpone as late as possible."

"Good..." He murmured, pulling her closer so that he could cuddle with her affectionately. It wasn't the most ideal situation but Kori was a lot happier knowing that her relationship with Dick was not as damaged as she first thought and that it could continue...


	9. Chapter 9

The following morning, Kori allowed her eyes to flutter before they opened fully. She softly smiled at the stray beams of light that trickled through her bedroom window and over her face. She stretched her arms above her head and slowly sat up.

Her k'anabra wolf, Silkie, jumped up onto her bed and licked her cheek. The Princess giggled and ran her hand through her pet's fluffy fur.

"Good morning, my little bumgorf," She cooed, rubbing Silkie's face playfully.

Silkie made a small noise of approval as Kori continued to stroke the adorable little wolf. She smiled and shook her head at her pet. Silkie was such a sucker for a scratch behind the ear.

Suddenly, the sound of the cannons blasted through the air and Kori was immediately on alert. She gently moved Silkie and threw back her covers. She hurried over to the window and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

"It cannot be..." She whispered to herself as she felt a knot in her stomach,

It was a bloodbath outside. Another battle had already started and from the looks of things, the Tamaranian soldiers were not winning. Kori squeezed her eyes shut as she witnessed bloodshed and barbaric murder methods. She gritted her teeth and pounded her fist against the wall.

Kori turned away and quickly dressed herself in her armour before grabbing her sword from the end of her bed. She tied the sword to her waist as she sprinted out of her room and down the stairs. She angrily shoved the large double doors of the throne room open, knowing that everyone would be in there.

In response to her outburst, Kori earned instant attention from every soul within the room. Her mother and father glanced at her, utterly shocked by her abrupt entrance whereas Ryan smirked. He had been waiting for his sister to make an appearance.

Dick openly smiled at the way she had marched into the room. He was enchanted by her warrior attitude and how important her people were to her, both civilians and soldiers.

"Father... What are you doing!?" She asked, heatedly,

Myand'r sighed, "We are trying to think of a battle strategy, my daughter."

Kori stepped closer to the king, "I have one. Attack."

"Koriand'r-"

"No! Our men are dying out there!" She paused and held a fist to her chest, "They need our help father or they will be overpowered."

Ryan wandered over to Kori and confidently rested a hand on her shoulder. He nodded to her and turned to King Myand'r, "Father, Koriand'r is right. If we do not do something soon, this battle will be over and the results will not be in our favour."

The King looked over at Superman and Batman, "Friends, I know you are uncomfortable with the idea of war but... Will you aid us?" He hoped,

"This is war Myand'r. We understand and we will help." Batman stated with Superman nodding in agreement,

"Let us march then! Ryand'r, take the East with Nightwing and Koriand'r. Superman and Batman; we will take the West." Myand'r commanded, picking up his weapon.

"Our main target for today... It is Haruzu?" Kori confirmed, earning a short nod from her father.

Suddenly, everyone began marching and rushing out onto the battlefield to help the soldiers who were desperately trying to repel the opposing Citadel soldiers. Nightwing watched Kori closely. He knew that she was fully capable of holding her own during a fight but he couldn't help but worry about her safety. The Citadel soldiers were vicious as he had already seen firsthand.

Nightwing watched the royal siblings. They practically mirrored each other's movements; the two of them unsheathed their swords simultaneously before dodging jabs from individual soldiers.

Dick shook his head and remembered that he was on the battlefield too and he needed to pay attention to his surroundings. He grabbed his electric tonfas and brought them up to defend himself as several soldiers came running at him. He jabbed one of them and watched the soldier shake as the electric currents erupted through his nerves. Dick felt slightly cruel especially as he had it on the highest electrical setting but he knew that death was usually the outcome of soldiers fighting. That is exactly what he had to act like; a soldier.

He continued to do the same electrical technique with the following two soldiers and he watched them as they fell upon the dusty plains. Dick glanced over in Ryan's direction and saw that he wasn't struggling at all. The Prince truly was built for war and he applied himself wonderfully. Ryan was probably one of the best fighters that Dick had ever met, alongside Kori and King Myand'r.

Nightwing's mind wandered to the thought of Kori and he scanned the area for her. His heart began to pound immensely as he couldn't locate her. He gripped his weapons tighter and gritted his teeth, hoping for Kori to make an appearance.

Suddenly, his prayers were answered.

Kori was doing her best to fight off approximately 5 soldiers. Dick gulped and immediately jumped to her aid. He knocked them out of the way and struck them with a jolt of electricity to ensure that they stayed down. After noticing that four of the five had been defeated, Dick heard a small scream that caught his attention.

Kori's hands shook as she held her sword firmly. She had never been backed into a corner like this. She literally couldn't move and fear was seeping through her. The soldier before her raised his sword above his head, confidently. Kori's eyes widened before she shut them tightly and pressed her back against the rocky cliff behind her as the weapon was thrust downwards.

The Princess yelped out as she accepted that she was about to die. She waited for the searing impact that a sword would cause but it never came.

After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked ahead. Kori felt herself relax and a small smile tugged at her lips. She faced Dick's back as he stopped the sword with his staff. He was literally between Kori and the thing that would kill her. For a moment, Kori couldn't believe that he was willing to jump in front of her like that to save her life but then she realised that she would do the exact same if the roles were reversed.

Dick growled and kicked the soldier in the chest, sending him crashing onto the ground. He moved out of the way and Kori regained her confidence and she proved it as she plunged her sword through the soldier's chest.

The two of them took a minute to get their breath back. Kori leaned against the rock wall and exhaled deeply. She watched Dick as he stepped closer to her and pushed some of her hair behind her ear,

"Are you okay, Kor?" He whispered,

Kori could barely form words so she just nodded to him. He flashed her a smile and kissed her cheek before he sprinted off in Ryan's direction.

The Princess felt so overwhelmed by what Dick had done for her. She knew that she had fallen completely in love with the masked hero and she wanted to show him that, like he had by jumping in front of her to save her life. Kori felt her cheeks heat up and an inevitable smile appear on her face as she thought about her secret relationship with Dick. She had such deep feelings for him and they were causing her to have a racing heartbeat just by thinking about him.

Kori shook her head and realised that she had to keep moving if she wanted them to win today's battle. She tightened her grip on her sword and dashed off to take down more enemies.

Dick quietly wandered through the dimly lit hallways as he journeyed to reach Kori's bedroom. Following the early evening's victory, everyone had retired to their own rooms to clean themselves up and get some rest. He hadn't seen Kori since they were on the battlefield and he missed her. He also wanted to make sure that she was alright and that she had not encountered any injuries during the brutal battle.

It was now roughly 2am and he knew that most of the kingdom was asleep but he could only hope that Kori was still awake.

He approached her large double doors and cleared his throat whilst quickly fixing his hair. Although Dick had been in a secret relationship with Kori for just over a week, he still liked to make sure that he looked presentable for her considering she always looked immaculate.

Dick lightly knocked on her door and scanned the hallway to make sure that no one was around. It wouldn't look too good if he was caught sneaking around with the Princess at such a late hour.

After a moment passed, one of the large doors opened to reveal the beautiful girl who Dick had become infatuated with over the past few weeks.

Kori silently moved her finger to her lips as a signal to be quiet. Dick grinned but nodded and stepped into her room. Kori closed the door behind him and locked it so that nobody could just walk in.

She was no longer dressed in her armour. Now, she was dressed in a delicate dark green bra-like garment that had a thin set of chains attached to the underneath. On her bottom half, she wore dark green briefs with a light green, mesh skirt wrapped around her waist. Her hair was down and it cascaded over her petite shoulders.

"Did I wake you?" Dick asked quietly,

"No... I was waiting up to see if you would visit." She replied, turning away from the doors.

Dick allowed his eyes to travel over her perfect form, "You look beautiful, Kori." He complimented.

Kori bowed her head slightly and giggled, "Thank you, Richard."

Dick walked over to her and grabbed her waist suddenly. He pulled her closer to him and pressed his lips to hers as if he was desperate to have her. His fingers got lost in her mess of auburn hair as he pulled her even closer to his body.

After a couple of minutes of passionate kissing, Kori pulled away from Dick and breathed unevenly. She raised an eyebrow at him but no words were needed for her obvious question.

"Sorry..." Dick breathed, "I... I just missed you..."

Kori tilted her head to the side and softly smiled at how sweet Dick was, "Fear not. I missed you also," She giggled,

"Are you okay? After the battle, I was worried that you might have been injured or-"

"I am perfectly fine, Richard,"

Kori stepped back from him and spun around to prove her point of having no visible injuries.

Dick smirked, "Well, I can see that now..." He whispered, pulling her close to him once more. Kori giggled as he nuzzled her neck and caused them to fall onto her large violet bed, with Kori on top of him.

The Princess stared at the boy beneath her and smiled gently, "I wished to thank you..."  
Dick chuckled, "For what?"

"Today on the battlefield; you saved me from being killed by the soldier,"

"Kori, you don't need to thank me. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

She softly smiled and leaned down. She attached her lips to Dick's and slowly moved her hips against him. It only took a minute for Dick to understand what activity she was trying to initiate. He was hesitant to accept her apparent offer as he assumed she felt like she had to due to him saving her in battle.

He rested his hands on her waist to still her for a moment. He broke their kiss and looked up at her as she lightly panted.

"Kori... You aren't indebted to me... You don't have to thank me _this_ way." He told her, brushing his fingers against her stomach.

Kori smiled down at him lovingly, "I only wish to do this to partly thank you for today... Truthfully, I wish to participate in the act more than you could believe."

Dick brushed her hair behind her ear and timidly smiled back at her, "Trust me, I want to do this with you so much... As long as you're okay with it, Kori... I'll gladly do this with you tonight."

Kori giggled and brushed her nose against his, "Good," She murmured,

He grinned and held her close to his body so much that he could feel the heat radiating from her golden skin. As they kissed, Kori's hair fell around them like a soft auburn curtain and Dick could smell her exotic strawberry scent. He ran a hand through her hair and pulled away from her lips, "I love you, Kori." He blurted, fearing for a moment that she would react negatively. However, Kori gently touched his cheek with her fingertips and smiled, "I love you also, Richard..." She breathed,

"Thank God." Dick sighed, earning a little giggle from the Princess.

The fire flickered and wavered as the wood continued to burn within the fireplace of Kori's bedroom. She and Dick were lying on the floor in front of the controlled fire with a green blanket covering them. They leaned on their sides whilst Kori rested her back against Dick's chest. Her eyes felt heavy and she was extremely close to falling soundly asleep. Dick sighed in content and softly ran his fingers up and down her forearm, earning approving little murmurs from the girl.

"I should go, Kor..." He whispered,

Kori slowly nodded, "I know... As much as I do not want you to leave..." She responded,

"I know but... They would kill me if they found me like this with the Princess... The engaged Princess..."

Kori giggled as Dick pulled her even closer to him,

"Tsk, tsk, Koriand'r... I feel like I've corrupted you..."

Kori smiled and stared at the fire as Dick softly kissed her neck, "No, you have merely shown me the difference between following duties and following my own heart... Far from corruption, believe me."

Dick cleared his throat and shifted so that he was sitting on his knees, looking down at Kori. She smirked up at him whilst he chuckled and picked her up by her waist. Kori wrapped her legs around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder as he carried her across the room.

When he reached her bed, he placed Kori upon it and brought the covers over her. For a brief moment, he felt slightly self conscious about being stark naked in front of her but then he remembered why it wouldn't matter.

Kori idly watched Dick as he located his clothing and began to dress himself. Her eyes were getting heavier with each passing minute and she knew that she'd end up falling asleep soon.

After placing his mask back on his face, Dick wandered over to Kori and kneeled down to match her level. She leaned forward and tenderly kissed him whilst raking her fingers through his ebony hair.

"I'll see you in the morning, beautiful," Dick said in a hushed tone,

Kori nodded, "I love you,"

Dick grinned, "I love you too,"

She lightly laughed, causing Dick to raise an eyebrow at her,

"What is it?"

"Nothing... It is just... I never truly believed that I could actually fall in love with someone so quickly and yet... Here I am..."

Dick smiled at her and softly kissed her forehead before he stood up straight and wandered out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Kori snuggled against her pillow and fell asleep with a sincere smile of happiness on her face...


	10. Chapter 10

Dick stood up straight with his hands behind his back as he idly stood with Ryan on the right side of the throne room the following morning. His mind kept reeling back to the previous night and how it became listed as the best moment of his life, alongside the moment that he met Kori. He couldn't believe that he was in such an intimate and serious relationship with a Princess. It never really dawned on him about her status and what she meant to the kingdom because she had always been Kori; beautiful and sweet and completely normal. When he thought of her, no kind of royal status was attached.

Ryan's voiced broke his reverie, "So... My sister has been a lot happier recently... I feel like I should thank you for that." He informed him,

"I didn't do much..." Dick chuckled,

"Kori has never been in love before. It is nice to see her experiencing it."

Dick smiled fondly and blushed, "Believe me; I've never loved a girl as much as I love your sister."

Ryan chuckled and slapped a hand against Dick's shoulder, "It's good to know that you think so much of her, my friend,"

Dick grinned and lightly chuckled. He turned his head towards the sound of the doors opening. His mood lifted when he saw Kori walk into the room, looking as beautiful as ever but his mood immediately dropped again when he saw who was by her side.

Prince Da'akaar had a grin that caused Dick irritation. He was unsure whether or not he disliked the Prince based on the fact that he was Kori's fiancé or that he just seemed arrogant.

Either way, the masked hero sighed unhappily, earning a frown from Ryan. He understood Dick's frustrations, knowing that it must have got him down knowing that Kori was technically promised to Prince Da'akaar.

"Every time I see the Prince... It just reminds me that Kori and I can't last. One day, they'll have to get married and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"So you wish for more with Kori?"

Dick smiled absentmindedly, "Well yeah... I mean, one day... Who knows, I'd like to call her my wife and maybe even have a child with her... But none of that stuff matters. I can't do any of that because of the stupid rules that are in place here."

Ryan slowly nodded which caused Dick to shake his head,

"Sorry... I didn't mean-"

Ryan faintly smiled, "Believe me, Nightwing. Kori and I have often cursed being born into royalty. We hate the rules as much as anyone; if not more."

Dick nodded to show that he was listening and that he understood Ryan. Although Dick was saddened by the idea of Kori still being engaged to Prince Da'akaar, he brightened considerably when she bounded over to him and Ryan, beaming at them as she moved closer.

Ryan bowed his head slightly, "Good morning, sister."

"Good morning, Ryan," She replied, the smile never leaving her face,

Dick smirked and cast a glance her way, knowing that they were both thinking about the same thing. Ryan raised an eyebrow at their shared expressions and decided that he probably wouldn't want to know about it.

Ryan groaned quietly, "Ugh, your pining for one another is so obvious. I am surprised that no one has found out your secret yet,"

He smiled and shook his head at them as they both blushed immensely.

"Alright. I am going to speak to mother and father. Be discreet, will you?" Ryan urged, nudging his sister lightly.

Dick turned to Kori and smirked, "So... How are you this morning, Kori?"

Kori timidly brushed some of her hair behind her ear and clasped her hands in front of her form, "I am feeling... Relaxed..." She answered, looking up at him through her lashes,

Dick blushed at her statement but grinned nevertheless, "Me too... Last night was amazing, Kor,"

Kori softly smiled at him and opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by King Myand'r,

"Koriand'r. We must prepare for battle." He announced,

The Princess' attention was now fully on her father's words, "What!?" She paused, "Our last battle was only just yesterday!"

Ryan strapped his sword to his waist as he jogged down the steps, "The scouts spotted them on the horizon early this morning."

Kori's shoulders slumped at the thought of another battle. They didn't have nearly enough men to repel a surprise attack. Surely, they would lose today.

"Koriand'r. Ryand'r." Myand'r called, causing the two siblings to face their father, "My children. Be careful out there today and do your very best. I know you are both capable of great things."

Kori and Ryan warmly smiled at their father's faith in them and left the room together so that they could prepare for battle.

Nightwing glared at Prince Da'akaar as he watched him leave too. Da'akaar was acting somewhat suspiciously and Dick was determined to find out why.

Suddenly, Nightwing felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned and found Superman staring back at him.

Dick raised an eyebrow, "Everything okay...?" He queried,

"We need to talk about something. Come on." Superman explained, leading the way out of the throne room.

Dick followed Superman out into the corridor and they stood in the corner so that they had some privacy.

"So, what is this about, Clark?" Dick wondered,

"I think you know, Dick." Superman responded, crossing his arms over his chest,

"Can we skip the mystery crap and you just tell me?"

"It would be wise for you to stop seeing the Princess behind the Princes' back."

Dick's eyes widened behind his mask, "Wh-What?" He paused, "How did you know about me and Kori?"

"Don't worry. Nobody else knows. I've been watching you with her over the past few days and it became quite obvious,"

Dick scoffed, "Fine. Go ahead and tell me how it's a terrible thing blah blah blah."

"Hey, be glad that Bruce isn't the one talking to you about this."

"Does he know?"

"No. I haven't told him and I'm not going to because I'm hoping you're smart enough to end things, yourself."

Dick crossed his arms over his chest, "Clark, I'm not ending things with Kori. I know you think it's a whole awful thing but it's not. We can't help the way we feel about each other. We're not kids, okay? We can handle things. I'm not giving her up for anyone."

With that, Dick turned away and left Superman to ponder the things that he had just said to him...


	11. Chapter 11

Kori stared at her reflection as she checked herself over in the full length mirror to make sure that she had dressed in her armour correctly. She wouldn't want any of it coming loose during the battle.

There was a light knock at the door that caused Kori to look at it through the mirror.

"You may enter..." Kori stated, loud enough for the person to hear,

With that, the door opened and Ryan stepped inside. He slowly walked up behind her and smiled at Kori through the reflection of the mirror,

"Sister..." He greeted,

Kori beamed back at him and secured her sword to her waist, "Hello brother," She replied,

"You've been so happy recently..."

She exhaled cheerfully and shrugged, "I am happy." She paused, "True, some things are inevitable and cannot be changed but I am happy enough with the way things are..."

Ryan stared at her for a moment and blurted his question out, "You truly love him, don't you?"

"I believe I truly do." She responded, smiling at him through the reflective surface.

The Prince watched Kori as she glanced at the floor and her smile vanished from her face.

"Kori... You know it can't last forever. You and Prince Da'akaar will either get married or it'll be time for Dick to return to Earth-"

"I know that..." Kori murmured, looking straight at him now,

Ryan bit his lip as he tried to consider ways of making his sister happier. He rested a hand on her shoulder and offered her a hopeful smile, "Maybe... Maybe we can talk to father after the battle. He is an understanding man. After all, he disobeyed our Grandfather so he could be with our mother... He will see..." Ryan suggested, earning a small smile from Kori.

"I hope we can convince him... I truly do not wish to marry Prince Da'akaar. For some reason, I do not feel comfortable with trusting him."

"I know... I don't trust him either."

Kori nodded to her brother but held a serious expression as the sounds of the cannons boomed throughout the land, signifying the start of yet another battle.

With a slash across the soldier's chest, Kori took down another foe. She wiped her blade clean on the grass beneath her feet and readied herself for anymore incoming soldiers.

Out of the corner of her eye, she witnessed two soldiers coming from either side of her. She breathed deeply in order to concentrate and with swift foot movement, she stepped back just in time and stabbed one of the soldiers through the heart.

Without hesitation, she pulled her sword from the soldier's body and twirled, landing her sword through the stomach of the second soldier.

Kori held her sword steadily as the two dead soldiers fell to the ground. When she was younger, Kori always felt sick after killing another soldier. She still hated the idea of war but she had learned to deal with killing people in order to save her own.

Of course, she would never participate in any form of village raid, nor would she keep her opinions to herself. She disagreed completely with that considering the innocents were the ones who always got hurt and they were not guilty of any crimes.

Kori stood up straight and lowered her weapon. She glanced around and noticed that they were close to winning. There were a few stray soldiers here and there but they were being taken care of by Ryan and the King.

The Princess knew the battle would be over in a matter of minutes so she placed her weapon back at her waist and strolled over to her father and brother. She smiled at Ryan, who chuckled,

"They were never a match for us!" He cheered,

"Well of course they were not." Kori chimed in, nodding to him.

Kori sighed in relief as she became aware of the fact that the battle commander had been slain and the soldiers were lowering in numbers. She looked around and praised the Tamaranian army for taking down so many. Of course, there were still a few Citadel soldiers fighting but the battle was as good as won.

The Princess looked across the field at Dick and smiled. He could tell that she was happy with the apparent outcome of today's battle.

King Myand'r scanned the field and decided the outcome of the battle. He settled upon his horse and raised his spear into the air. He grinned out of triumph, "Alright! We are victori- UGH!" His voice wavered and he fell from his horse.

Kori's eyes widened as her father coughed up blood whilst he lay upon the dusty ground. Her heart raced wildly as she feared for her father's life. She sprinted over to him and fell to her knees when she reached him.

She covered her mouth with her hand as she turned him on his side to witness his wounds. Ryan looked down and saw that his father had been shot with three venom tipped arrows.

"No!" Ryan yelled, frantically searching for the archer at fault.

Kori shook as the world came crashing down around her. Myand'r was struggling for breath and Kori was at a loss of what to do.

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes as she pulled the arrows out of her father's back. She threw them to the side with pure hatred flowing through her,

"You will... Be okay, father..." She croaked, trying to reassure herself.

Ryan held an arrow at the ready as he waited for a message from the archer, who had sealed the King's fate,

"King J'akhan sends his regards!" The archer bellowed, raising the bow above his head,

Ryan didn't even wait for a second; as soon as the words came out of the archer's mouth, Ryan shot him through the throat and killed him instantly.

Kori struggled to hold back her tears as she held her father in her arms. "No, no, no..." She whispered, rocking him back and forth in her arms,

Myand'r suddenly choked on more blood and Kori cried aloud. He suddenly grabbed Kori's hand and offered her a weak smile,

"My beautiful daughter..." He choked,

Kori furiously shook her head, not wanting to believe that her father was truly dying, "Father... Please... You cannot die yet..." She sobbed,

Suddenly, the King's eyes rolled back and Kori didn't know what to do. She felt like a lost little girl which in reality, she was exactly that.

"Brother!" She screamed, earning Ryan's attention immediately.

He joined her on the ground, beside their father who was still gasping for breath. He struggled to speak and Kori shook her head at him,

"Please... You have to stay..." She cried, allowing her tears to fall freely down her soft cheeks,

The King gave them both a small smile before he suffocated on the venom that was seeping through his body at an accelerating rate. He began to violently shake as the venom completely took hold.

King Myand'r sucked in his last breath and with that, he was gone.

Kori swallowed the lump in her throat and tightened her grip around her father's body. She leaned her forehead against his and continued to cry. Ryan gritted his teeth and lowered his head, feeling a pang of guilt at not being able to save their father.

Kori suddenly gave into an ear piercing scream that shook the whole battlefield to a standstill. She howled as tears continued to spill from her eyes. There was a hollowness in her now; an empty feeling after losing her father.

Dick watched the whole thing with horror. He wanted to run and console Kori as best he could but instead, he stood back with Batman and Superman at his side. He knew that she would want space; time with her mother and brother. He lowered his head out of respect for the deceased King...


	12. Chapter 12

The next evening was bitterly cold as the whole kingdom gathered at the riverbank; Dick vividly remembered the location from the night that G'narah was murdered by the Citadel and Kori sent her down the river.

There was faint crying and sniffling from the crowd of people that had emerged to witness King Myand'r's funeral.

Kori had become somewhat numb since seeing her father die. She had barely left her room and there had been no smile on her face at all. Her eyes had become glassy and she chose not to speak to many people. She was slightly hurt that Dick had not been very comforting but she understood that he probably wanted to give her space. The only person that she had said more than one word to was Ryan who was handling their father's death well. Ryan knew that losing their father was always a risk but he also knew that they had to carry on if there was any hope of bringing an end to the war.

However, Kori had decided to take charge during the ceremony this evening. She felt like it would be a form of closure for her to be able to move on from the depression of losing her father.

There was a member of the Tamaranian council conducting the ceremony and he spoke in a low, monotone. He paused and turned to Kori who was gripping her father's sword in her hands.

"Could Princess Koriand'r place the item of value upon the King's resting place?" He asked, carefully,

Kori swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly glanced down at the sword in her hands. It had a shiny, silver blade with an ebony hilt but it was adorned with a small encrusted emerald. She inwardly smiled at the small gem. It was like a family token that each of them had somewhere upon their swords.

She ran her fingers over the emerald stone gently but shook her head to bring herself out of her thoughts. Kori looked up at the council member and cleared her throat.

She took a couple of small steps over to her father's body and looked over him quickly. He looked so cold and so pale; she was reasoning with herself about how the world could offer so many opportunities and yet it could be so cruel at the same time. She shut her eyes tightly and carefully placed the sword beneath Myand'r's frozen hands.

As she placed his hands over the hilt, she clasped her own hands over his and rested her forehead down for a mere second, saying her final goodbyes to him through actions instead of words.

She stood up and deeply exhaled, knowing that the burning of the body was next and she was the one to send the arrow soaring. She pulled her bow from around her torso and stood at the very edge of the riverbank.

Kori watched as the servants pushed the King's resting boat into the river. She shivered as she heard the Queen's wailing from the front of the crowd. Kori glanced over at her mother and saw Ryan comforting her. The Princess briefly smiled; she was glad that her mother was not completely alone.

The main council member handed Kori an arrow that was tipped with a substance that caused the body to go up in flames immediately. She controlled her breathing so that she wouldn't mess up the shot. Kori placed the arrow against the bow and pulled her arm back.

A moment passed before Kori released the arrow and watched it as it soared through the night sky. It struck the resting boat that the King was placed upon and the whole thing became engulfed in flames.

Kori stared at the burning boat as she lowered her weapon. There was silence among the crowds with the exception of quiet sobs.

The Princess slowly turned around and glanced at all of her people who were now in need of someone strong more than ever. Kori was finally beginning to understand how Ryan could be so accepting of their father's death. As she looked over her people, Kori realised that she had to accept the passing and make a point of it. The King's death was not for nothing; it wasn't something that should keep Kori down and depressed. She now understood that it was fuel for the already roaring fire.

Kori gritted her teeth and stood up straight, "This treachery will _not_ be forgotten. We are going to wipe the Citadel army out if it is the last thing we do." She took a breath and the venom dripped through her next words, "My father's death will not be _meaningless_."

The surrounding group cheered at her statement and mentally prepared themselves for the inevitable bloodbath of a battle that was sure to follow within the next couple of days.  
With her opinion voiced, Kori marched away from the area.

Dick watched her closely as she left but decided not to follow her. He wanted to be there for her but he couldn't read her at the moment. He wasn't sure what she wanted.

However, Dick noticed that her _wonderful_ fiancé wasn't present and his suspicions began to resurface. There was something strange about Prince Da'akaar. He was hardly around and for someone who was supposedly helping the planet; he didn't seem to have a lot of input on things.

As the dark skies of night time drew in, the kingdom was quiet. There were no war discussions and no bustling for parties or banquets.

Dick stared up at the ceiling as he laid upon the big round bed within his guest chambers. He sighed loudly and placed his hands behind his head.

He desperately missed Kori and everything in him screamed to go and see her but he didn't want to make her mad. He had never been good with situations like these. Obviously, he could understand from the point of view of losing his own father when he was a child but he still didn't know whether or not Kori wanted to see him or anyone for that matter.

Suddenly, there was a quiet knock at his door. Dick raised his head from the pillow and raised an eyebrow in confusion about who would be visiting him this late.

He pushed himself up from the bed and wandered over to the door. He opened it and felt his heartbeat increase. Kori offered him a small smile and tilted her head to the side. Dick smiled back at her with a soft expression on his face,

"Greetings," She said, quietly,

"Hey, Kor..." He returned, in a soft tone,

"May I come in?"

"Yeah, of course,"

He stepped to the side and watched her as she came into his room. He quietly closed the door after she was inside and locked it. The two of them were always conscious about someone walking into the room when they were together.

Dick walked closer to her but still kept his distance so that he wasn't smothering her with feelings.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, gently,

Kori tilted her head from side to side and shrugged. He nodded and it left them simply staring at each other.

The Princess sighed and hurried across the space between them. She leaned against his chest and buried her face in his shoulder. Dick immediately wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. He didn't realise how much he loved holding her until now after what felt like an eternity of not holding her close.

"I'm sorry that I haven't been there for you," He whispered, "I thought you would want space to be with your family..."

Kori smiled against him and nodded her head, "I know," She murmured,

Dick kissed the top of her head and swayed with her, still in his arms. He would always be there when she needed him...


	13. Chapter 13

The following morning, Dick wandered through the hallways as he attempted to locate Kori. After she had come to see him the previous night, they had talked for approximately 2 hours. He had consoled her about the loss of her father but they had also talked about the war and what the next step would be. Kori had informed him about her revelations of having to carry on with the war so that they can win.

Dick considered their conversations as he continued to move through the palace. He approached a corner but froze when he turned. He took a couple of steps back and leaned against the wall so that he was out of sight.

Prince Da'akaar stood, looking as smug as ever whilst he conversed with one of his personal soldiers. Dick leaned to the side slightly so that he could see Kori's _fiancé_. He still had the signature grin painted across his face but now it portrayed a sinister connotation.

"You were very clever in the last battle, my lord," The soldier complimented,

Da'akaar suddenly turned to the soldier and Dick could have sworn that his grin widened, "I know. I truly am an important piece to the Citadel right now." He bragged, "My idea to bring in more soldiers at the last minute to kill that oaf of a King was genius, I must admit."

Dick's eyes widened and he leaned against the wall completely as he processed what he had just heard. His heart began to pound, knowing that Da'akaar had been a traitor the whole time. It made him angrier to know that the King was dead because of him. His head spun with all the information being mentally pieced together. His deceit had explained his constant absences when the planet seemingly needed him. He shook his head and focused on their conversation again to see if there was anything else about his true intentions.

"So, is the war over then, my lord?" The soldier asked,

"Not quite but it shouldn't be very hard to rid the land of the Queen, Prince and my blushing bride to be." He paused and sighed, "I do not know whether or not I will kill her... I may keep her around for... Other purposes,"

The soldier chuckled, "Very Good, Prince Da'akaar,"

Dick gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He wanted to step around the corner and kill Da'akaar with his bare hands for speaking about Kori disrespectfully let alone for betraying the whole planet and leading the King to his own demise.

He inhaled deeply to try and calm himself down. Dick knew the attempt was futile as he kept repeating Da'akaar's words in his mind. He began to feel pain where his jaw was set so strongly.

With the feeling not going away, Dick angrily marched away to find Kori. He needed to warn her about Prince Da'akaar's real intentions for Tamaran.

Kori and Ryan sat on the stone bench, talking about war matters and tactics.

"Well, in the next battle, if we were to take this route... Around the side of the cliff, we would-" Ryan cut himself off as he caught a glimpse of Dick storming closer to them.

Ryan raised an eyebrow at his friend's apparent anger. Kori stood up from the bench with a concerned expression across her face,

"Kori. Ryan." He stated as he stopped moving just as he reached them.

Kori gently rested a hand against his broad chest and could feel him relax ever so slightly beneath her touch,

"Richard... Is everything okay?" Kori queried in a soft tone to try and soothe his ruffled emotions,

"No. You need to break off your engagement to Prince Da'akaar." Dick responded, the rage seeping through his voice.

Ryan stood up immediately, trusting Dick in his announcement, "What has happened, friend?" Ryan asked,

"I need you guys to believe me. A couple of minutes ago, I overheard the Prince talking to a soldier. He's been lying to you this whole time! He was never here to help you!" Dick paused and glanced at Kori, "He's a spy for King J'akhan. He told the army that the King would be in the centre of the last battle. He's the reason that your father was killed."

Kori's eyes widened as she considered everything that Dick had just told them. Her breathing suddenly became uneven as vexation coursed through her veins. Ryan mirrored Dick's initial reaction by clenching his fists and gritting his teeth.

The Princess turned to Ryan and her voice was lower; like she had a vendetta to carry out, "Shoktar koli mokvier." She hissed,

Dick raised his eyebrows as he was surprised to hear Kori use her native language. She had never spoken a word of Tamaranian whilst she had been around him.

"Nikiere, vek sugete zar moovar." Ryan responded,

Nightwing felt completely out of the loop. He raised an eyebrow and raised his hand slightly, "Um... Do you guys believe me or...?" He asked, praying that they did,

"We believe you entirely, my friend," Ryan told him, earning a nod from Dick,

"We trust you..." Kori paused and smiled up at him, "I trust you."

Dick smiled back at her and softly kissed her forehead. When he took a step away from her, Kori raised an eyebrow at him in confusion at his keenness to show a public display of affection.

"What? You aren't still going to marry him, are you?" Dick questioned,

"Of course not," Kori answered,

"Well then; it shouldn't matter."

Kori timidly smiled at him but she knew that their focus needed to be placed elsewhere.

"We need to find mother," Ryan commented, earning nods from both Kori and Dick,

With that being said, the three of them sprinted off towards the throne room so that they could expose Da'akaar for the fraud that he was...


	14. Chapter 14

Prince Da'akaar groaned as he strolled through the hallway, leading to the throne room. He had been called upon by the Queen for an apparent tactical war meeting. He shrugged it off; it was an irritation but at least he would have information for the Citadel. He quietly laughed at how desperate the Tamaranians were for help and at how stupid they were for not sensing anything suspicious.

The masked human that was always with the Prince and Princess on the other hand had repeatedly cast him a glare. Da'akaar was almost certain that his name was Nightwing; he seemed to have more intelligence and apparently knew better than to trust him straight away. The Prince couldn't help but feel minor respect for the earthling. He was smart and that always had to be appreciated in adversaries. However, he still needed to be killed as he was part of the opposing team.

Prince Da'akaar smirked as he approached the large double doors leading into the throne room. He sighed and forced a neutral expression onto his face.

With that, he pushed the doors open and strutted inside. He immediately noticed that everyone was staring solely at him whilst silence filled the huge room. Da'akaar firstly looked at his fiancé. She held an expression that screamed hatred which he already knew. The Prince was well aware of Koriand'r's dislike of him although, he didn't exactly disagree with her. Why would she be ecstatic about marrying some random Prince?

Still, it didn't matter if she liked him or hated him. It was a winning situation for him either way. Nobody could deny that she was beautiful and it never hurt to have a pretty young woman to hand.

As he drew closer to the Queen, he noticed that even her expression was different. He went along with things and kneeled briefly before Queen Luand'r,

"Your highness... You wished to see me?" He confirmed, glancing up at her,

Luand'r stood from her throne and glared down at him.

He raised an eyebrow, "My Queen, are you-"

The Queen cut him off, "Silence, you worm!" She yelled,

Prince Da'akaar realised then that they had found out the truth but he kept the act going. It didn't matter; he was prepared for such a thing.

"Excuse me, my lady?" He gasped,

"You can stop the act now, Prince Da'akaar. We are all aware of your treason." Kori interjected,

"You are a traitor. You were working with the Citadel this entire time. There is no point is lying anymore." Ryan added, crossing his arms over his chest,

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Luand'r interrogated, placing a hand on her hip,

Da'akaar slowly stood up straight and calmly placed his hands behind his back. He sighed and looked up at the royal family, "Well, since you ask, your highness..." He paused and the conniving grin returned as he drew his sword, "NOW!"

Eight of Prince Da'akaar's men had entered the room with him and now they surrounded him like a protective fence. They all drew their weapons and pointed them at individuals within the room.

The Queen gasped and took a couple of steps back; her naivety causing her not to suspect such a response. Ryan on the other hand, instantly got into a battle stance and unsheathed his sword.

"Blind them all!" Da'akaar shouted. The soldiers surrounding him all dropped pellets which caused the room to fill with thick smoke. Batman covered his mouth with his cape before slipping a breathing device into his mouth. He glanced at Superman who was able to dismiss the smoke easily.

"Are you alright, Batman?" Clark asked, earning a short nod from the dark knight.

Da'akaar chuckled amidst the blinding chaos, "Slaughter them all but take the Princess!" He ordered,

Kori gulped and patted her waist. Her heart dropped at the realisation that she didn't have her sword with her.

"No!" She whispered to herself as she heard shuffling around her.

The Princess began to worry. She _was_ skilled in hand to hand combat but it was practically useless when she couldn't see a thing. She accidentally breathed in the smoke and coughed and spluttered, giving away her location.

Kori tried to remain as still as possible but it was ineffective. Suddenly, she felt searing pain in her neck as a soldier struck her from behind. Kori groaned as she fell to her knees and slipped into an unconscious state.

The soldier grinned at his apparent triumph and picked Kori up and threw her over his shoulder like a stuffed ragdoll.

Nightwing squinted as the smoke began to clear. He had heard Da'akaar's demand of taking the Princess and his heart rate had increased considerably.

There was a loud shattering sound as the soldiers smashed the windows as an escape route. Dick glanced around, frantically searching for Kori.

He spotted her and his eyes widened at the sight of her unconscious form,

"KORI!" He roared, grabbing his electric tonfas from his belt and dashing after the soldier who had Kori slung over his shoulder.

"Nightwing! What is-" Ryan began,

"They've got Kori! We have to move! Now!" Nightwing ordered,

The two of them began fighting off the soldiers who had been left behind within the throne room. Dick growled and took down soldier after soldier. He was desperate to get to Kori.

With one final uppercut to a large soldier standing in his way, Dick turned and sprinted towards the broken window with Ryan closely following behind. Nightwing placed one foot on the window frame but remembered his hero counterparts,

"Batman!" Dick paused, "Superman?"

The two established heroes appeared from the fog and nodded to Dick,

"We're alright!" Superman replied,

"Ryan and I are going to get Kori!" Dick informed them,

"We'll protect Queen Luand'r. Go!" Batman responded, kicking an approaching soldier in the chest,

Dick nodded and jumped out of the window with Ryan at his side.

Kori groaned and her head spun as she remembered where she was and what was happening. She allowed her eyes to open and in one swift movement, she threw her leg up and around the soldier's neck. She used all of her strength to pull the man down, forcing his head against the hard cold ground.

He moaned in pain and completely released Kori from his grasp. Suddenly, the warrior Princess recalled a backup weapon. She reached into her boot and pulled a sharp dagger out. She stabbed the soldier in the neck, killing him instantly and she proceeded to wipe the blade against her skirt.

"Kori!" Dick called, catching her attention,

He and Ryan reached her without hesitation and sighed in relief over her safety.

"You're okay..." Dick confirmed, earning a small smile from Kori,

"Watch out!" Ryan warned, jumping back as a small group of soldiers emerged from the shadows of the night,

Kori was reluctant to fight the soldiers. With no weapon, she was basically defenceless. For some reason, she couldn't quite trust her skills of combat against those with a weapon. She assumed the outcome would never be in her favour.

She slowly backed away in hopes of getting closer to her own room so that she could get her sword.

The Princess froze as she heard rustling from the forest behind her. It was difficult to see out on the battlefield. It was one of the darkest nights in a long time and it was never a good time for battle.

Suddenly, Kori heard a shriek of a battle cry and watched in shock as Prince Da'akaar leapt from the tree above her, raising his sword above his head.

She gasped and rolled out of the way, not wanting to fall victim to him. She groaned as she stood up as she didn't know where Prince Da'akaar had gone.

Kori heard a small snarl from behind her and quickly turned around to face the source of the sound.

She faltered as her face met Prince Da'akaar's face which remained merely centimetres away from her.

Kori coughed up blood as she felt severe pain on the right side of her stomach.

The Princess' eyes widened as she realised it. She looked down at the sword that had punctured her body. Her breathing became laboured and she felt tears prick her eyes.

Ryan and Dick turned around to see the atrocity unfold. They both stopped out of pure disbelief and couldn't seem to shake it off.

The Prince was the first to cry out, "Kori!"

Prince Da'akaar grinned at Kori's pale face, "If I cannot have you, Princess... Then no one can..." He hissed, snatching his sword out of the raw wound.

Kori struggled to breath even more so after he removed the weapon. Her eyes fluttered and she felt faint. She began to accept that this was her fate; that she was going to die today.

Ryan gave into a furious battle cry and attacked Da'akaar head on. The Prince stumbled back, not expecting such a sudden and ferocious attack.

Dick however hurried across the space and caught Kori just as she collapsed. She bit her lip as the pain burned through her and she let tears slide down her cheeks. Fear and doubt were beginning to fill Kori's mind and she clawed at Dick's uniform.

Nightwing frantically glanced over her, not knowing what to do.

"Please Kor... Stay with me!" He pleaded, holding her close.

Kori fought to keep her eyes open but it was obvious that she was losing her grasp on her own life. Dick gritted his teeth and scanned his surroundings for anyone that could help.

"Please! Somebody help! The Princess is wounded!" He screamed, hoping someone would come to aid Kori.

Kori focused on Dick's lips as he whispered to her, "Kor, hold on..."

That was the last thing she saw before everything went black...


	15. Chapter 15

The next few days passed by at a painfully slow rate for Dick who remained at Kori's bedside day and night, waiting for her to show signs of life.

The doctors had informed them that she was in a stable condition and that they simply had to wait for her to wake up. However, the longer she stayed asleep, the less hopeful Dick became about the doctor's words.

He sighed as he held Kori's cold hand in his own. He brushed his thumb over her soft skin and smiled. She always seemed to have emerald green nail polish on and being in a minor coma seemingly didn't change that as Dick noticed the chipped polish over her fingernails.

Kori had missed out on a lot of news whilst she recovered from her fatal wound. However, there was one thing that he didn't want to tell her as he knew it would leave them both miserable.

Suddenly, Kori's limp fingers twitched beneath his touch. Dick sat up straight and stared at her face, hoping there was more activity to come from the unconscious Princess. Sure enough, her eyes began to flutter ever so slightly and her chest rose considerably as she inhaled the air around her.

"Kori?" Dick whispered, hoping for any kind of response,

Kori carefully opened her eyes and glanced over at Dick who was biting his lip in anticipation,

"Richard..." She croaked, her voice hoarse from not talking over a number of days.

"Hey there, sleeping beauty," He said, offering her a gentle smile.

Kori cracked a big smile for him and slowly moved so that she was sitting up in the hospital bed.

"I'm so glad that you're okay..." He murmured, kissing her hand,

Kori nodded, "How long was I unconscious for?"

"About 3 days,"

"What happened?" She paused, "All I remember is you telling me to do the holding on,"

"Heh... At least you remember it. Well... A lot has happened..."

Kori squeezed his hand, signalling that he could continue,

"Alright... I'll start with the good news... Ryan killed Prince Da'akaar and King J'akhan after you got hurt. It was like something ignited within him..."

"Hm... I believe it was his brotherly instincts..."

"Well... They've also crowned Ryan as King of Tamaran. They said that he is the next in line because of being the next male heir to the throne?"

"That is correct. Usually, daughters will be chosen for the throne last... I suppose one could say it is sexist but such a thing does not bother me."

"Well following all that... The war is over, Kor and Tamaran won." Dick grinned as he explained that part to her,

Kori sighed in relief and smiled. She rested her fingertips against her lips as she rejoiced in the news of their victory.

"My father would have been so proud..." She hummed, earning a sincere nod from Dick, "I am so happy that it is finally over. Hopefully, the people of Tamaran can live in peace from now on,"

Dick nodded slowly; his mind being elsewhere as he thought about the _bad news_.

"Richard?" Kori prompted,

"Uh... Yeah, Kor?" He stuttered,

"Please, what is the bad news?"

"Well... Now that the war is over... Your planet no longer needs our help which means... I'll be going back to Earth soon."

Kori's expression dropped and she released his hand. They both looked downwards as sadness spread through them.

"When?" Kori asked, quietly,

Dick looked up at her and sighed, "Tonight,"

Kori's eyes widened for a moment, "Tonight!? But... But that is _too_ soon..." She paused, "I do not want you to go..."

"I don't want to go either."

"Then do not go... Stay here... With me,"

Dick's shoulders slumped, "I can't stay here... I have people in Gotham that need me."

Kori allowed a tear to escape her eye. Dick scooted closer to her and brushed the tear away, "I'm sorry, Kori," He whispered,

"This is not fair..." She whimpered,

"I wish you could come back to Earth with me."

"You know I cannot do that... My duty is to my planet and my people..."

Dick sadly nodded as he brushed a piece of auburn hair behind her ear. Kori sniffled as her emotions began to get the best of her. She covered her eyes as she began to lose control over her despair. Dick watched her and knew she was crying as her shoulders shook ever so slightly.

He sighed and sat upon the bed with her. Dick pulled Kori against him and kissed her forehead,

"Don't cry, Kor... You'll end up making me cry and I'm not supposed to cry, remember?" He half laughed, "I'm the strong guy, y'know?"

Kori just continued to cry against his chest, grabbing a fistful of material as her emotions flowed fluently. Dick kept the depressed expression upon his face as he attempted to console Kori. He rubbed her back and swayed her gently and even ran his fingers through her long gorgeous hair.

"I hate this, Kor... I wish I didn't have to leave you..." Dick admitted, in a soft voice, "I love you,"

Kori gulped and shut her eyes tightly at the last part of his sentence. She inhaled a deep breath but looked up at him with her puffy eyes,

"I love you too... So much..." She breathed,

Dick swallowed the lump in his throat and gently pressed his lips against Kori's soft cupid bow lips, initiating a lovingly tender kiss between the two of them. Each time they seemed closer to being happy together, a problem always seemed to present itself.

There was a bitter breeze within the night time air as Dick, Superman and Batman prepared for their journey home. It seemed so surreal that they were returning to Earth. Dick felt as though they had been on Tamaran for years when it had actually only been a month and a half. He sighed as he remembered the first day he and Kori met. It was such an amazing memory and yet, life was kicking him whilst he was down.

The royal family emerged from the palace to say their goodbyes to the Earth dwellers. Kori refused to look up from the dirty ground; she couldn't bear to look at Dick, knowing that he would be completely gone from her life in a matter of minutes.

Dick on the other hand was obviously pining for Kori. His bottom lip jutted out ever so slightly as the sadness inside of him began to rule over his whole self. He stared at Kori from the very moment she stepped out to say goodbye.

As Batman and Superman conversed with Ryan and Luand'r, Dick strolled over to Kori and disregarded all responsibility and logic in his head.

He gently cupped Kori's face with his hands and firmly pressed his lips to hers, pouring all of his emotions into the one blissful kiss. Kori was caught off guard at first but she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. Dick took this as permission to wrap his arms around her petite little waist.

As he kissed her, Dick could feel Kori's wet tears through his uniform. He was finding it unbelievably difficult to keep himself in check. He felt like his heart was being ripped out of his chest and stamped on which was just as well because he knew for a fact, that would be his default feeling as long as he lived without Kori.

He released her and rested his forehead against hers, softly nuzzling her nose with his own.

"I'm gonna miss you so much, Kor," He confessed, tightening his grip on her waist,

Kori nodded as she began to struggle to form words due to continuously getting choked up.

Ryan watched the two of them and wandered over. Kori barely turned to look at him whereas Dick flashed him a small smile,

"Hey Ryan..." He mumbled

"Greetings, my friend..." Ryan replied in the same sort of tone.

Kori clung to Dick for as long as she could; not that Dick minded. He loved her being so close to him.

Ryan sighed loudly and softly placed a hand on Kori's shoulder,

"Sister..." He paused, "I know that the brotherly part of me will regret this but..."

Kori stood up straight and glanced at Ryan with a raised eyebrow; confused about what he was saying,

"I think you should go to Earth with Dick." He admitted,

Dick perked up immediately and stared at Ryan with a small, giddy smile on his face,

"What?" Kori gasped,

"You love each other dearly... Besides, you have always wanted to go to Earth and now you also have a reason to stay there." Ryan explained,

"But... I am needed here..."

"The war is over, Kori... I think we will be fine now."

"Ryan..."

"As King of Tamaran, I release you from your duties as the Princess of Tamaran. You are free to leave and come back whenever you wish. You have no more ties with Tamaran, Kori..." He paused, "Please, sister... I want you to live your life with the person who makes you happy."

Dick was practically on the edge of his seat. His heartbeat suddenly increased considerably. He was excitable over the very idea of Kori coming back to Earth with him and staying with him forever; free to be together how they pleased.

Kori had tears in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hand, "Oh, Ryan... Thank you... So much..." She choked out, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly,

"It's okay, Kori... As long as you are happy."

"I have never been happier..."

Dick watched them with a smile upon his face. He could tell that they were finding it hard to deal with the idea of Kori leaving to live on Earth.

"What about mother?" Kori asked,

"Go and speak with her but I am the one who gets the final say so..." Ryan shrugged.

Kori nodded and headed towards Luand'r to talk about her departure.

Ryan turned to Dick with a knowing grin, "There you go, Dick..." He paused, "Now you can have any future you want with my sister."

Dick chuckled, "I'm still aiming for the wife and child picture, Ryan,"

"Good. I am glad that she met you. She has become so happy since she did..."

"Believe me... I wouldn't trade meeting her for anything else in the world."

Ryan smiled but Dick noticed as he swallowed a lump in his throat. Ryan's expression saddened slightly, "Please... Take good care of my sister, Dick..."

"I will Ryan... I won't let anyone or anything hurt her."

The King nodded and kept a brave face plastered on as he shook Dick's hand. Ryan exhaled and turned towards Luand'r and Kori. He left Dick for the moment to go and join the family conversation.

Dick gulped as Batman and Superman marched over to him.

"I hear that Kori is wanting to live on Earth with you," Batman stated,

"Yeah... That's okay, isn't it?" Dick checked,

Batman nodded, "As long as her family are all in agreement to it. You are both adults after all."

Dick considered that and smirked, "So... Do you still think I shouldn't have gotten involved with the Princess, Clark?"

"Alright, alright... So it didn't blow up in your face. Just count yourself lucky that it didn't, kid." Superman replied,

"Wait... You knew about their relationship and you didn't tell me?" Batman interrogated,  
Superman sheepishly rubbed his neck, "Well... Uh..."

Dick chuckled as he watched the two of them. He was ecstatic; everything was falling into place. The love of his life was coming back to Earth with him to remain forever, Tamaran had won the war and the majority of their people had survived to tell the tale.

The former boy wonder grinned at his girlfriend as she cheerfully floated into his outstretched arms, "It is all agreed... I can... I can stay with you on Earth..." Kori informed him, excitedly. Suddenly, she turned shy,

"If... If you still want me to come back with you that is..." She mumbled,

He stared into her eyes and chuckled, "Kor, are you kidding? I love you and I want you to stay on Earth with me, more than anything else in the world."

Kori blushed and nodded, softly kissing his cheek in the process.

Batman called out to the two young heroes, telling them that the Batplane was ready to depart.

Dick smirked as he watched a guard place Kori's small wolf, Silkie into the Batplane; she didn't have a lot of things but the fluffy wolf was a definite keep.

After a heartfelt goodbye between Kori and her mother, the Princess turned to her brother.

"Well... This is it..." Ryan stated,

"Indeed..." Kori replied,

She felt tears roll down her cheeks as she stared at her dearest family member. Ryan had not only been her brother but he had been her best friend for so many years. It was hard to just let go of all of that and leave.

Kori stepped forward and the two siblings embraced each other lovingly. Kori buried her face in Ryan's shoulder and sighed unevenly, "You are... The best brother that I could have ever asked for, Ryand'r." She murmured,

"And you are the most wonderful sister that X'hal could have ever blessed me with Koriand'r." Ryan said in a hushed tone, "I hope you continue to grow in happiness on Earth with Dick."

Kori nodded, "I love you, brother."

"I love you more, sister."

With a final squeeze, Kori released Ryan and took a step back from him.

Dick waited patiently for Kori to return to his side and when she did; he gently took her hand in his and led her up to the Batplane,

"Wait til we get to Earth. There are so many things that I need to teach you about." He paused and smirked, "However, the first thing I have to do is get a giant cheeseburger,"

Kori wrinkled her nose, "What is a... Cheese-burger?" She asked, testing out the word,

"I'll tell you about it on the way home... I imagine you'll like mustard on it."

"Mus-tard?"

Dick chuckled and wrapped his arms around the Princess, "You're gonna love Earth."  
"I believe I will love it even more with you by my side," She whispered,

"And you better believe me when I say that I'm never leaving your side."

Dick gently kissed the tip of her nose and helped her up the steps of the Batplane.

He couldn't get over the fact that he had fallen so deeply in love with this girl that he had met less than two months ago but truthfully, he wouldn't change it for anything in the whole world. When he thought about it now, he was glad that he had volunteered to go on the mission with Superman and Batman because it had changed his life completely...


End file.
